The Giants have traded defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneeers:
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - One of the Giants' most prominent and productive players of the last decade will not be a part of the team's current rebuilding effort.
Jason Pierre-Paul, a mainstay at defensive end for the last eight seasons, was traded today to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Giants will receive the Bucs' third-round draft choice, No. 69 overall. In addition, the teams will swap fourth-round picks, with the Giants moving down six spots from second in the round and No. 102 overall to No. 108.
"We appreciate everything Jason has done for the Giants," general manager Dave Gettleman said. "He was a fine player for us, and he helped our franchise win Super Bowl XLVI. We wish him well in the future."
This is the second trade Gettleman has made since becoming general manager. Last week, he acquired linebacker Alec Ogletree from the Los Angeles Rams for fourth and sixth-round draft choices.
The Giants now have six selections in the 2018 draft, including the second overall pick. They also own the second choice in the second round (No. 34), two third-rounders (Nos. 66 and 69), the aforementioned fourth-round choice, and the second pick in the fifth round (No. 139). They do not have a seventh-round choice as the result of a trade with Pittsburgh last year for cornerback Ross Cockrell.
Pierre-Paul, the Giants' first-round choice (15th overall) in 2010, was the third-longest tenured Giants player, behind Eli Manning (who arrived in 2004) and Zak DeOssie (2007).
In his eight Giants seasons, JPP played in 111 regular-season games with 85 starts, and he started all four postseason games in which he played. He was a two-time Pro Bowler (2011 and 2012), and his 58.5 career sacks rank seventh-highest among Giants players since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Pierre-Paul provided hints late in his rookie season of what was to come when he registered 2.0 sacks vs. Jacksonville on Nov. 28 and 2.0 vs. Washington a week later to become the first rookie in Giants history with at least 2.0 sacks in consecutive games.
At the conclusion of the 2011 season, the Giants defeated New England in the Super Bowl and Pierre-Paul was named a first-team All-Pro after recording a career-high 16.5 sacks - the fourth-highest total in Giants history. Pierre-Paul had five multiple-sack games that season and he joined Pro Football Hall of Famers Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan as the only Giants with at least 16 sacks in a season. Taylor did it once – he had 20.5 sacks in his 1986 MVP season – and Strahan did it twice (an NFL-record 22.5 sacks in 2001 and 18.5 in 2003).
JPP was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week four times. Only Taylor (9) and Strahan (5) have more such honors in team history. Pierre-Paul was also the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in December 2011.
In addition to his sacks, Pierre-Paul forced 13 fumbles and recovered seven, including one he returned for a touchdown. He intercepted two passes, and returned each for a score. On Dec. 11, 2011, he clinched a victory in Dallas by blocking Dan Bailey's 47-yard field goal attempt with one second left in the fourth quarter. If good, the kick would have tied the score and sent the game into overtime.
Last season, Pierre-Paul started all 16 games at left defensive end. He was one of five Giants to start every game, including one of three defensive linemen. The others were defensive tackles Damon Harrison and Dalvin Tomlinson, safety Darian Thompson and guard John Jerry. He finished with a team-high 8.5 sacks, the fourth time in his career he led the team (also 2011, 2012 and 2014). The 8.5 sacks was his third-highest total, after 16.5 sacks in 2011 and 12.5 in 2014. JPP finished fourth on the team with 68 tackles (48 solo), including a team-best 11 tackles for losses.
