Giants trade offensive lineman Faalele to Jaguars for 2027 pick

The New York Giants agreed Wednesday to trade offensive lineman Daniel Faalele to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round 2027 NFL Draft pick, according to multiple sources.

Faalele, 26, signed with the Giants in April on a one-year contract after spending the previous four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, where he started at right guard for the past two seasons under then-coach John Harbaugh, now the Giants' head coach.

The trade came after Faalele's role with New York diminished significantly during training camp and the preseason. The Giants selected Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick in the 2026 draft and planned to develop him as a guard. Mauigoa took nearly all of the first-team repetitions at right guard throughout training camp and preseason, leaving Faalele working as a backup at both left and right guard.

Faalele's performance in Saturday's preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings further weakened his position. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted a 0.0 pass blocking grade and a 40.2 overall score across 13 snaps in that contest. Following the loss, he was dropped from Giants Wire's latest 53-man roster projection.

With limited opportunities to secure a meaningful role on the offensive line and facing potential roster cutdowns, the Giants elected to trade him rather than risk losing him without compensation. The move adds another future draft asset to New York's collection.

Faalele joins a Jaguars team dealing with offensive line injuries. Right guard Patrick Mekari recently underwent back surgery and could begin the season on short-term injured reserve. Starting right tackle Cole Van Lanen has also been dealing with injury issues.

The 6-foot-8, 380-pound Faalele was a third-round selection by the Ravens in the 2022 NFL Draft. He initially served as a backup tackle for two seasons before transitioning to guard. He appeared in 71 NFL games, all with Baltimore, before joining the Giants.