Would this Giants-Titans trade for a former first-round pick make sense?
As the NFL calendar shifts to June in the coming days, teams may rekindle their approach to roster building as some salary cap restrictions loosen. That could lead to unexpected trades, including a New York Giants-Tennessee Titans swap recently suggested by Bleacher Report.
B/R’s Alex Ballentine proposed a deal that sends Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks to the Giants in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
A move to another team, like the New York Giants, which is still trying to figure out the receiving corps, would make sense. Going from Levis to Daniel Jones might be a downgrade, but the Giants have a lot of unknowns at wide receiver right now.
Rookie Malik Nabers figures to be their No. 1 receiver. Darius Slayton would be the No. 2 option, but he’s currently sitting out OTAs while he works on a new contract with the G-Men.
There are many young options the Giants hope will hit big this season. Adding Burks would give them another body type with potential in the room. At 6’2″, 225 pounds, the former Razorback is much bigger than the likes of Wan’Dale Robinson (5’8″, 185) and Jalin Hyatt (6’0″, 185).
Burks would still have to fight for reps and targets, but the competition would be a lot lighter in New York.
At the low cost of a sixth-round pick, this would be considered a steal for the Giants if they’re still seeking bodies at wide receiver. However, for the Titans, it would seem to be a minimal haul for a former first-round pick even when considering some of his early-career struggles.
Burks, the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has caught just 49 passes for 665 yards and one touchdown over his first two seasons. That’s a far cry from the production many expected when he came out of Arkansas.
Ballentine argues that a fresh start could suit Burks well, but acknowledges he may get that in Tennessee anyway.
There’s an argument to be made that Treylon Burks is already getting a fresh start. With Brian Callahan taking over as head coach in Tennessee, the 2022 first-round pick will play in a new offense with Will Levis as the starter from opening week.
DeAndre Hopkins even went to bat for his teammate, writing in a since-deleted X post that the media is the only entity doubting the receiver.
Maybe that’s the case. But there’s no denying that Burks is a clear fourth option on the roster. They not only signed Calvin Ridley but also added Tyler Boyd, who brings a lot of experience with Callahan to the table.
So, would this proposed trade make sense? For the Giants, absolutely. For the Titans? Probably not so much.
