The New York Giants could be a major asset to the Chicago Bears between now and the 2026 NFL trade deadline.

Not with any players to offer, to be clear.

The Giants, like the Bears, are buyers at this year's deadline because of how well the 2026 season has gone. New York is first place in the NFC East and has successfully resurrected J.J. McCarthy's career after two directionless seasons on the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants could be in store for the best season since Eli Manning was around. John Harbaugh has been a massive success in year one at the helm in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Instead, New York could help Chicago in the trade market by beating out the Bears' NFC North rivals that have the same needs as Big Blue.

Giants Can Outbid Vikings, Lions, and Packers For Top Trade Targets

The Vikings and, to a lesser degree, the Detroit Lions, could use a defensive run-stopper in the middle. Detroit is getting exactly what it needs from Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams, but McNeill is playing his first season back after an ACL tear and Williams is a rookie.

It's unlikely that the Lions would be willing to get in for a top defensive tackle target, but Minnesota might. The Vikings are giving up too many chunk plays and aren't getting reliable play outside of Jalen Redmond in the middle.

Of course, Chicago already filled that need with the Jeffery Simmons trade. Simmons' Bears debut, a 34-17 whooping of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, proved that Chicago got in and out of the market at the right time.

The Giants could drive up the price for a defensive tackle like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Vita Vea or the Miami Dolphins' Zach Sieler.

New York could also make life tough for Minnesota and the Green Bay Packers in the Jonathan Taylor sweepstakes.

Taylor has insisted that he doesn't want out, but the Indianapolis Colts are already in sell mode and he seems to have softened on that stance. Taylor might not have a choice in the matter either way, and he may be increasingly accepting of that fact.

 "Until the past couple weeks, it's kind of been the same thing. But it won't be until Tuesday at [4 p.m.] where you'll know exactly what's going on, you'll know exactly what the verdict is," Taylor said on Thursday.

With Green Bay not knowing Josh Jacobs' future, and the Vikings owning no clear top back in one of the lowest-rated running back rooms, they are both major Taylor bidders. The Giants may be one Taylor trade away from being one of the Bears' top competitors in the NFC.

You'd rather it be New York than anyone in the NFC North. Here's to Harbaugh and Joe Schoen getting work done over the next few days.