Giants Are Aggressive for a Defensive Lineman, Palmer Says
Published Nov 6, 2026, 9:28 AM ET | By Vincent Rapisardi
Key points
James Palmer of NFL on Prime says the Giants have been "very aggressive" for a defensive lineman.
Palmer told Charissa that unexpected names have been contacted and are "borderline untouchable."
The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET, four days after Palmer's report.
The Giants defensive lineman hunt is still aggressive, according to James Palmer of NFL on Prime. With the trade deadline four days away, New York is not waiting for sellers to call first.
"James Palmer of @NFLonPrime says the Giants have been \"very aggressive\" for a defensive lineman," we posted Friday, citing Palmer's remarks to Charissa on the show. No standalone clip was posted beyond that report.
Palmer then widened the picture. He said unexpected names have been contacted league-wide, and he called those targets borderline untouchable.
What James Palmer Said About the Giants
Palmer's first line was blunt: the Giants have been "very aggressive" for a defensive lineman.
He then told Charissa there have been "some names contacted around the NFL".
"Just say this with a broad brush, Charissa, that I didn't expect teams were going to be reaching out about. They're borderline untouchable," Palmer said.
Palmer did not name the players. He also did not say a deal is close. The report is about outreach, not a completed trade.
Why the Giants Defensive Lineman Push Fits Prior Reports
The tone matches what NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said earlier this week. Rapoport expects the Giants to be aggressive for a running back and an interior defensive lineman.
SI's Albert Breer already said Jeffery Simmons was not the only defensive tackle New York called about.
His Oct. 30 column framed the Giants as sniffing around on defensive tackles. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler put Buccaneers DT Vita Vea on the Giants' radar after the Simmons miss.
Palmer's "borderline untouchable" line helps explain the slow close. The players New York is testing may not be for sale at a normal price.
Art Stapleton has called interior defensive line the top trade priority. NFL.com has also pointed to a defensive tackle splash. Palmer is describing the same lane with a harder edge: aggressive calls on hard-to-get names.
By the Numbers: Giants Deadline Clock
Item | Detail |
Trade deadline | Nov. 10, 4 p.m. ET |
Days left (as of Nov. 6) | 4 |
Palmer's read | "Very aggressive" for a DL |
Untouchable note | Unexpected names contacted |
Sources: Big Blue Film Room and ESPN, as of Nov. 6, 2026.
What Comes Next Before Nov. 10
Four days remain before the deadline, per ESPN. Palmer's report does not create a shortlist. It confirms New York is still dialing.
The open question is whether a seller blinks. Vea is a tougher get, Fowler wrote, and Breer's wider list still needs a willing partner.
Palmer did not say the Giants will finish a defensive line deal. He said they have been very aggressive about one, including on names he did not expect teams to reach for.
Our Take: Keep Calling Until Someone Answers
When Ian Rapoport said the Giants would be aggressive for an interior defensive lineman, I approved. Palmer saying the same thing with four days left only strengthens that.
Coach Harbaugh is all in. When he went after Jeffery Simmons, I said he wants his Dexter Lawrence.
We are lucky he is the Giants' head coach. That is not a throwaway line. It is how I feel about the way he hunts help.
Harbaugh has my complete and total endorsement to add good football players for draft picks. Stop worrying so much about draft picks. Add good players.
Palmer's "borderline untouchable" line is the hard part. Keep making the calls anyway. Aggressive only counts if one of those names comes off the board before Nov. 10.
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