The New York Giants have gotten off to a dreadful 1-5 start this season, meaning they could end up selling off some pieces between now and the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline. If the Giants do decide to start moving some players, defensive lineman Leonard Williams seems like a prime candidate to be dealt. A team like the Detroit Lions would make a ton of sense for him.
Williams is in the final year of his contract, and his production has waned since initially coming over from the New York Jets in a midseason trade back in 2019.
The Giants may decide to do some roster retooling in the offseason, and if and when they do, the 29-year-old Williams will probably not be high on their priority list to re-sign.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports sees the Lions as a potential fit for Williams and suggests that the Lions trade a 2024 third-round pick to New York in exchange for his services.
Detroit already ranks seventh in the NFL in defense, but it could always use some more talent in order to legitimize a serious playoff push.
Williams has logged 18 tackles and a half of a sack through the first six weeks of 2023.
The USC product was originally selected by the Jets with the sixth overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent the first four-and-a-half years of his career with Gang Green, with his best season coming in 2016 when he posted 68 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.
As time went on, Williams wore out his welcome with the Jets, and they dealt him to the Giants midway through the 2019 campaign.
The following year, Williams enjoyed his best season as a pro, racking up 57 tackles and 11.5 sacks with Big Blue. He then tailed off with 81 stops and 6.5 sacks in 2021, and last season, he registered 45 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 12 games.
Regardless, Leonard Williams can still be a force when he is engaged, and perhaps a change of scenery could do him some good.
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