The 5-2-1 New York Giants did not have a surprise for fans at the 2026 NFL trade deadline. After acquiring former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy to be their new quarterback in the wake of Jaxson Dart's injury, it looked like the Giants were going to be aggressive in acquiring a new star to help them secure the lackluster NFC East.

Head coach John Harbaugh made it clear that the team was interested in Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans before the defensive tackle was sent to the Chicago Bears in a deal that included two first-round picks. Reports also indicated the Giants were interested in Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor before ultimately pulling their offer, which reportedly was a package of picks headlined by a second-rounder. 

The Giants were trying to be big-game hunters. In fact, ESPN's Jordan Raanan revealed that the Giants made a call to the Atlanta Falcons about star running back Bijan Robinson. Yes, the Bijan Robinson who currently leads the NFL with 880 yards rushing in nine games played. The Bijan Robinson who has recorded the fifth-most career scrimmage yards (6,778) before age 25 in NFL history. 

New York swinging a deal for Robinson would have been the story of the trade deadline, but those talks probably didn't go very far. Atlanta views Robinson as a pillar of its franchise and rewarded him with a three-year extension worth up to $75 million this offseason after he recorded a franchise-record 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025. 

Plus, the Falcons are right in the mix for the lowly NFC South, which features four teams each with just three wins. Atlanta wasn't looking to sell pieces. And if the Falcons were going to part ways with arguably the best running back in the NFL, they would require a massive, massive package that featured much more than a first-round pick. The question is what were the Giants willing to offer for Robinson? Or did the conversation with Matt Ryan even get that far?

With no additions at the trade deadline, the Giants will move forward with Cam Skattebo at running back. He's rushed for 418 yards and two touchdowns in seven games played this season, and he did rush for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown his last time out against the Houston Texans in Week 7.

"You've seen what I can do," Skattebo said Tuesday, per NJ.com. "When I come out, and I'm ready to play football, I can be one of the most dangerous backs in the league. Simple as that."