Giants trade DE Jason Pierre-Paul and 2018 fourth-round pick to Buccaneers

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the New York Giants will trade defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Giants will receive the Bucs’ 2018 third-round (68th overall) and fourth-round (108th overall) picks. In addition to Pierre-Paul, the Bucs will receive the Giants’ 2018 fourth-round picks (102nd overall).

Pierre-Paul is a native of Deerfield Beach, Fla. He was selected by the Giants with the 15th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of South Florida, where he was a First-team All-American and First-team Big East in his senior season.

Although he played in every game during his rookie season, Pierre-Paul began to shine in his second season after injuries to defensive line stalwarts Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck.

He led the team with 16.5 sacks en route to the first of consecutive Pro Bowl berths. Pierre-Paul was an integral part of the team that defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. He also finished fourth in the 2011 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting behind winner Terrell Suggs, Jared Allen, and Justin Smith.

Pierre-Paul’s professional football career was in a doubt after a July 4, 2015 fireworks accident at his home. The accident injured both of his hands, leading to the amputation of his right index finger. Pierre-Paul also lost parts of several other fingers. Although he was expected to miss the entire 2015 season, Pierre-Paul played in eight games with one sack.

Pierre-Paul returned to form in 2016 with seven sacks and a league-leading eight passes defended. He eventually suffered a sports hernia that required surgery, ending his season. Pierre-Paul attempted to come back for the Giants’ playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, their first postseason game since Super Bowl XLVI.

Pierre-Paul signed a four-year, $62 million deal last offseason. He played in all 16 games in 2017, racking up 68 total tackles (48 solo), 8.5 sacks, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles.

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Pierre-Paul carried a $17.5 million salary cap hit for 2017. The Giants will take a dead money hit of $15 million and only save $2.5 million by trading Pierre-Paul. However, they take cap hits of $19.5 million in 2019 and $17.5 million in 2020 off the books.

Pierre-Paul will join a Bucs defense that generated the fewest sacks in the NFL in 2017 with 22. He will be on the defensive line with defensive end Vinny Curry and defensive tackle Beau Allen (both formerly with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles) and fellow 2010 draftee Gerald McCoy.

Pierre-Paul is believed to not be a good fit for the 3-4 base defense that will be installed by defensive coordinator James Bettcher.

Pierre-Paul’s 58.5 career sacks are seventh in Giants franchise history behind the Hall of Fame duo of Michael Strahan (141.5) and Lawrence Taylor (132.5), Leonard Marshall (79.5), Umenyiora (75), Keith Hamilton (63.5), and Tuck (60). His 47 passes defended are tied for third in franchise history with the recently released Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Only Corey Webster (98) and Will Allen (69) have more.

Pierre-Paul is tied with Mathias Kiwanuka for fourth in forced fumbles in franchise history with 13 behind Umenyiora (32), Strahan (24), and Tuck (18). He also had 432 total tackles (309 solo), two interceptions, seven fumbles recovered, and three defensive touchdowns for the Giants in eight seasons.

– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL and the New York Giants. Please like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.