2024 NFL Draft: Giants slip to fifth overall with their win over Washington

The New York Giants completed their season season sweep of the Washington Commanders on Sunday with a 31-19 win. The Giants are now 3-8 on the season with that victory, with games against the New England Patriots (2-8), Green Bay Packers (4-6), New Orleans Saints, (5-5), Los Angeles Rams (3-6), and Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) still on their schedule.

While the Giants aren’t (yet) mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, their season will likely end with their Week 18 game against the Eagles on Jan. 7.

Thanks to their win over Washington and losses by the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, and Carolina Panthers, the Giants now hold the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — down from the second overall pick they held coming into Week 11. As of now, the Giants hold picks 5, 36, 55 (via Seattle), 69, 104, 141, and 181.

Multiple things can (and often are) true at the same time.

This win was undoubtedly great for the players and much-needed by the coaching staff in the face of an often impatient owner. Fans can, and should, feel good about wins.

The win (and future wins) could also make it difficult for the team to acquire players needed to be consistently competitive against the better teams in the NFL, and not just teams like Arizona and Washington.

There’s a lot of football left to be played, and we could see the Giants’ draft stock shift dramatically — it remains to be seen whether that will be to their long-term benefit.