Should Giants Consider Trading OLB Azeez Ojulari?

Ojulari has struggled to stay healthy since the Giants drafted him, but he's still young enough and has value.

Dec 11, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) celebrates after making a sack on Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

When the New York Giants drafted outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari out of Georgia with the second-round pick in 2021, many believed that the Giants had gotten a steal based on where the highly touted defender was drafted.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way, though, as the 24-year-old linebacker has done more battle with staying healthy than he has against opponents. Since his debut, he has made just 25 starts over three seasons, recording 16 sacks to his name, eight of those sacks coming as a rookie.

With the Giants having acquired Brian Burns in a trade with Carolina to line up opposite projected starter Kayvon Thibodeaux, dreams of a Thibodeaux-Ojulari pass-rush duo have all but faded. Ojulari, if he remains on the Giants roster, will be reduced to that of a situational pass rusher, which makes for poor timing for him as he enters a contract year.

While teams generally don’t like to part with young and promising pass rushers, Pro Football Network's Anthony DiBona suggested that Ojulari could be a trade candidate at some point if the Thibodeaux-Burns duo performs as expected and if the Giants get additional production from other outside linebacker candidates such as Boogie Basham and Tomon Fox.

"The New York Giants have built quite an elite pass-rushing duo with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns," DiBona wrote. "Yet that could mean Azeez Ojulari’s days in New York are coming to an end. Ojulari has failed to find consistency with the Giants and could be traded during the final year of his rookie contract."

Ojulari has talent but the injuries–he’s had groin and hamstring issues–have affected his development.  In having traded for Burns, the Giants probably did so in having realized that they could no longer count on the former Georgia Bulldog to develop into the consistent threat off the edge his college production suggested he could be. 

Ojualri, in the final year of his rookie contract, counts for $2.155 million against this year’s cap. If he were to be traded before the start of the season, the Giants would save$1.583 million. They could also potentially come away with some additional draft assets for next year rather than let him simply walk away for nothing in free agency next year.

One team that could make sense as a potential trade partner is the Atlanta Falcons, who need pass rush help. The Falcons could have taken one of two premier pass rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft, UCLA's Laiatu Latu or Alabama's Dallas Turner. Instead, they went with Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who may or may not even get on the field for the Falcons this season.  

Perhaps a pairing of Ojulari with former Giants draft pick Lorenzo Carter will give the Falcons, who right now lack top-end talent, a decent enough threat off the edge.

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