Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Giants have made a bold move ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, acquiring the No. 10 overall pick from the Cincinnati Bengals just ten days before the event.
- General manager Joe Schoen executed a strategic trade that sent a disgruntled star defensive player to the Bengals, dramatically increasing the cost for other teams to move up in the draft order.
- This trade complicates the Dallas Cowboys' plans, as owner Jerry Jones now faces a much steeper price to jump ahead of the Giants and secure a player he covets at No. 5 overall.
The Dallas Cowboys want to ruin the New York Giants' first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but general manager Joe Schoen's trade to acquire the No. 10 overall pick from the Cincinnati Bengals may have thrown a wrench in those plans.
Multiple reports emerged just 10 days ahead of the draft that Jerry Jones, who has picks No. 12 and 20 to play with, desires to jump ahead of the Giants at No. 5 to select a player Schoen is targeting. That could be anybody from Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
There’s a belief among teams at the top of the draft that the #Cowboys, who have picks at #12 and #20, are a team to watch in trade-up scenarios, according to multiple league sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 14, 2026
Several teams have said they believe Dallas is targeting a player the #Giants also covet, and… pic.twitter.com/9C32GqBSkS
If Jones were successful in swapping with the Tennessee Titans (No. 4) or Arizona Cardinals (No. 3), he would force Schoen into a difficult and time-sensitive decision to either stick with the next best available player or trade back for more cost-effective option. But, surprisingly, Schoen may have outsmarted Jones by sending disgruntled star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II to Cincinnati.
Giants-Bengals trade jacked up price for a Cowboys trade up
New York — in a shockingly competent trade — managed to snag the No. 10 overall pick in the upcoming draft from the usually penny-pinching Bengals on Saturday in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowl selectee Lawrence. That swap just set a premium value on every pick from No. 9 upwards.
If Jones wants in on the action ahead of the Giants, he's going to have to pay a price much greater than Lawrence's value. The Titans and Cardinals will demand at least pick No. 12 and — if they are good negotiators — pick No. 20 or a player of equal value.
It's all going to depend on how badly Jones wants the player Schoen is supposedly targeting at No. 5 overall. Dallas improved its defense at the start of the offseason, trading for Rashan Gary to start filling the Micah Parsons-sized hole, but adding a stud like Styles would certainly make things even better.
Schoen is also going to have to decide whether staying at No. 10 is going to be worth it. The NFC East rival Washington Commanders sit at No. 7 overall and could take Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson — a very popular offensive target across the league based on attendance at his pro day on Friday.
Regardless, the Giants seem to have killed multiple birds with one stone as their constantly upward-looking offseason continues. They shipped off a grumpy player, acquired a top-10 pick in the process and, for now, may have boxed out a division rival from jumping them in the draft order. What's next, actually winning football games?
Add us as a preferred source on Google