The San Francisco 49ers sent shockwaves throughout the NFL when they traded for Christian McCaffrey Thursday night.
In what is sure to kick off a hectic Nov. 1 trade deadline period following the move, contending teams must now debate whether or not they have the tools to make as large a gamble as the 49ers did.
In reality, the McCaffrey trade directly impacts each of the top teams in New York, both in the tri-state area and even up north.
Buffalo Bills
While rumors swirled over the last week that Buffalo would look to trade for the superstar running back, Ian Rappaport reported late last night that the Bills did not even make an offer to Carolina for McCaffrey.
Josh Allen leads the team in rushing with just 257 yards in six games. While Devin Singletary did have over five yards per carry against the Chiefs last week, Buffalo’s ground game hasn’t been nearly as effective as people would have hoped to go into the new season.
Could Buffalo still make a trade for a top offensive player? Of course.
Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t signed with a team yet as he recovers from his torn ACL that he suffered in last year’s Super Bowl. They could also add different pieces along their offensive line as well.
The only thing that truly affects Buffalo here is the fact they missed out on the top running back available at the trade deadline. It also means that they’ll have to find more creative ways to get Singletary and rookie James Cook involved as well.
New York Giants
The New York Football Giants did not need a running back but will be affected by the trade deadline all the same. New York is in desperate need of quality wide receivers on their team. Carolina, the team currently on a firesale, has one in DJ Moore.
If New York wants to show that they are a true force to be reckoned with and can truly compete with the top teams in the NFC, a trade for DJ Moore is probably the most likely outcome of any.
They won’t be the only buyers at the trade deadline though. San Francisco has re-entered the debate for the best team in the NFC, Green Bay will be looking for wide receiver help and even the Philadelphia Eagles could be spurred into action.
The McCaffrey trade opens the door to many possibilities and puts general manager Joe Schoen in the spotlight. With the trade deadline ending on November 1s, the Giants will need to determine if they believe themselves to be true contenders in an open NFC.
New York Jets
The Jets don’t need a running back. They also don’t need a wide receiver considering one is already disgruntled.
So how does the McCaffrey trade affect them? For the same reason as the Giants.
The Jets are a surprising 4-2 and with solid players like Breece Hall and Michael Carter, there was no need to add another back like McCaffrey into the mix. It does make Joe Douglas have to decide on the outlook of the team though.
New York could use some more offensive line help, and potentially a different pass rusher. With the Panthers in a fire sale, could the Jets swoop down and nab Brian Burns? What about the tackle, Taylor Moton?
The Jets are far from a finished product right now. But the next few weeks could be the first chance that Joe Douglas has to announce to the NFL world that the Jets are no longer living in the shadows of futility anymore.
