The New York Giants reportedly are parting ways with a longtime face of the franchise.
The Giants are trading defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a deal involving multiple 2018 NFL Draft picks, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday. New York and Tampa Bay reportedly will swap fourth-round picks, while the Giants also will acquire a third-round pick.
Another blockbuster trade: Giants trading DE Jason Pierre-Paul and a 2018 fourth-round pick to Buccaneers for a 2018 third-round pick and a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2018
Giants and Buccaneers are swapping fourth-round picks, and then Jason Pierre-Paul gets dealt for an additional third-round pick as NY continues to reshape its roster.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2018
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport confirmed the trade Thursday and added a few details about Pierre-Paul’s contract, which reportedly will pay the 29-year-old north of $11 million for the 2018 season.
Now #Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul has a cap number of $17.5M and a salary of $11.25M. Tampa assumes that, while taking a pass-rusher off the Giants hands who doesn’t fit their new 3-4 scheme.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 22, 2018
Just talked to JPP, who said Dave Gettleman called to tell him he’d been traded to Bucs. JPP said DG told him it was “an offer they couldn’t refuse.” JPP said he is happy he’ll be closer to his son, who lives in S Florida. #NYG
— Kim Jones (@KimJonesSports) March 22, 2018
The Bucs apparently have prioritized adding a pass rusher this offseason, as Schefter also said Thursday that Tampa Bay tried to acquire Robert Quinn before the Los Angeles Rams traded him to the Miami Dolphins earlier this month.
Buccaneers tried trading for Robert Quinn earlier this off-season before he was dealt to Miami. Tampa Bay then resumed its pass-rush search, zeroed in on Jason Pierre-Paul, and completed another trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2018
With the Giants trading away Pierre-Paul, a two-time Pro Bowl pick who recorded a team-high 8.5 sacks last season, it’s fair to wonder whether New York will target a pass rusher in the draft. Bradley Chubb is ranked high on many draft boards, so perhaps the Giants will pass on a quarterback and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, among others, to select the North Carolina State defensive end with the No. 2 overall pick.
Either way, it’s been a very successful run in the Big Apple for JPP, hand-mangling fireworks accident notwithstanding. The former first-round pick recorded 58.5 sacks over eight seasons, including a career-high 16.5 in 2011, and won two Super Bowl titles with the Giants.
