On Tuesday, word was that the Giants and Browns were getting close to a deal that would net them Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards. On Wednesday, that became a little more complicated. The Cardinals announced that they're listening to offers for Anquan Boldin, putting another talented wideout on the market.
The Cardinals maintain that they'd still like to keep Boldin, who has two years left on his contract, but after two years of bad feelings they may be nearing the point of no return. That puts two top wideouts on the market at the same time, with the Giants in the enviable position of being able to find a price that's right for acquiring either one. That may not make either one a steal, but it does make it a lot more likely that the Giants can set the terms of the deal rather than the sellers holding all the cards.
Which one is a better fit? Boldin has posted consistently excellent numbers, even though he deals with injuries almost every year, while Edwards has been more up and down throughout his career. Edwards is younger, though, and would likely cost less in a trade and in salary than Boldin.
He's also a closer mimic of the downfield threat that the Giants lost with Burress. Boldin has done much of his work underneath, with the help of Larry Fitzgerald clearing out space and drawing oodles of defensive coverage. His powerful style is appealing, but it's unclear if it would loosen up defenses the way the Giants need to make the best use of their running game.
What makes the debate all the more interesting is if one of these guys goes to the Giants, there's a pretty good chance that the other one is going to go to the Eagles. Philly needs a wideout as bad or worse than the Giants do, and they've got two first-round picks to use as bait in a deal. That would ratchet up an already heated rivalry while keeping the NFC East at the top of the NFL food chain.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
