The disastrous season for the New York Giants continued on Thursday with a loss to the Chicago Bears. With serious questions about their roster, the Giants could place receiver Hakeem Nicks on the trade block in an effort to stockpile picks for the 2014 draft. As of now, the New England Patriots appear to be the most likely trade partner.
New York needs help on both sides of the ball, from the suspect offensive line to the aging veterans on defense. Many, including Yahoo! Sports, SB Nation and NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, believe trading Nicks would be the smartest move for the Giants.
Trading Nicks, who's in the final year of his contract, would nab extra draft picks for New York to use in April. Victor Cruz has become the top receiver for the G-Men, making Nicks expendable. With his contract expiring after this season, trading Nicks now would ensure the Giants get something should the receiver choose to explore free agency.
More importantly, there's a hungry market for talented receivers. At just 25 years old, Nicks is worth the investment for a team willing to part with draft picks. He's struggled recently with injuries, but the reward outweighs the risk in this case. The New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers are the most receiver-needy teams.
It's clear Patriots quarterback Tom Brady needs weapons on offense. Rob Gronkowski hasn't taken a snap this season after multiple surgeries, and Danny Amendola has trouble staying healthy - he's played in just two games for New England since signing in the offseason.
With New England's defense holding its own this year, adding a talented receiver like Nicks is what the Patriots need to make a serious run in the playoffs.
Baltimore's offense has also struggled this season. With the exception of Torrey Smith, the Ravens' receiving group is questionable. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has proven he's willing to pull the trigger on trades, and he could find himself needing to give quarterback Joe Flacco another reliable receiving option.
San Francisco has needed a receiver, but the team is unlikely to trade at this point. Michael Crabtree is expected back by mid-November, and Mario Manningham is eligible to return from the PUP list in two weeks.
The NFL trade deadline is Oct. 29.
