If Sunday was Azeez Ojulari’s last game as a Giant, the fourth-year runner called it a “difficult” situation to deal with.
“It’s a tough way to go out if it’s the last one here,” Ojulari, 24, said after the defense recorded no sacks in the Giants’ 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders. “I feel like we could have been a lot better, but I can’t control that.
“I’m going to miss being here, for sure, if I do. [my last game here]but damn, I don’t know,” he added. “It’s hard. It’s hard, man. I don’t know what’s going to happen. They haven’t told me anything, so I don’t know. Maybe [Monday] we will see something.
Ojulari, a 2021 second-round pick of the Giants, sees the writing on the wall that it seems almost inevitable that he could be traded before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
He has six sacks and has remained healthy heading into free agency next spring, but the Giants have invested heavy resources in two pass rushers above him, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
So the Giants have talked with teams about moving Ojulari, including at least one serious suitor, according to sources. The Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals are the two teams that have been linked to Ojulari most consistently.
His younger brother, BJ Ojulari, 22, is on injured reserve with the Cardinals. And the Marietta, Georgia product played his college ball for the Georgia Bulldogs. So both would be good personal fits.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll also don’t have the luxury of giving away good players, even if it helps recoup assets from expiring contracts.
Thibodeaux (wrist) is still on injured reserve and hasn’t rushed the passer as well as Ojulari this season. There’s also no reliable depth at this position behind the Giants’ front three.
Schoen and Daboll would have the same problem if they traded veteran receiver Darius Slayton, who remains eligible even though he is in the concussion protocol.
They would acquire an asset for a good player for next year’s draft, but who would replace Slayton on the field for the remainder of this season?
The Giants showed no confidence in third-round pick Jalin Hyatt, and he didn’t make enough plays while he was there.
The question is whether Schoen and Daboll can trade players of this caliber and prevent the bottom from falling apart during the season.
It feels like the Giants are already there in many ways, but it could be even worse if players see the general manager shipping talent similar to how he dealt Leonard Williams to Seattle in 2023.
Co-owner John Mara has already issued a vote of confidence in his general manager and coach for the remainder of this season. However, Mara only said he doesn’t anticipate any changes this offseason.
Co-owner Steve Tisch has yet to give his opinion. So how comfortable will Schoen and Daboll feel about making these kinds of moves?
Remember: Ojulari and Slayton aren’t going to go after a second-round pick like Williams did with the Seahawks either. It will be the selections of the third day which will return to New York.
This could add ammunition for a possible move up the 2025 NFL Draft rankings for a quarterback.
Both trades would make this team worse, however, as Schoen and Daboll struggle to show progress with this team before it reaches the January finish line.
Whether Ojulari stays or goes, it doesn’t matter, it’s been refreshing to see him stay healthy, produce and position himself for a solid second contract.
Ojulari is a highly valued teammate and a young man with a bright future who treats people well and deserves success.
“I feel like it’s a testament to God and my coaches and my teammates that push me every day,” he said of his 2024 production. “You have Dex, Burns , even KT, and I feel like they push me every day. The defense we have, the coaches, everyone expects a dog mentality from everyone. And I feel like they pushed me and everyone, and it shows.
Just kick it
The Giants did not convert on either of Daboll’s two conversion attempts after their fourth-quarter touchdown drives. They are now 0 for 6 this season with two-point tries. Daboll said his decision was “based on analysis” and that he felt “good with what we had”, but his failure to incorporate his own team’s shortcomings into his choices in These situations set the Giants up for failure… Tight ends Chris Manhertz and Theo Johnson caught both touchdown passes from Daniel Jones on Sunday. It was the Giants’ first game with two TD catches since Kyle Rudolph and Evan Engram scored touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 1, 2021… Daboll admitted that kicker Greg Joseph (oblique), who was placed on injured reserve, injured in practice. But when asked if Daboll could do anything against so many injured kickers in practice lately, the coach responded with one word: “No.”
