Pass rusher Azeez Ojulari relieved he wasn’t traded by Giants

Azeez Ojulari didn’t person to battalion up his flat Tuesday nighttime and tin exhale for nan remainder of nan season.

The NFL waste and acquisition deadline came and went without nan Giants shipping their 24-year-old walk rusher to a contender for a draught pick, ending weeks of hard-to-ignore speculation.

“It’s cool that I don’t person to move aliases anything,” Ojulari said aft Wednesday’s practice. “I’m happy to beryllium present and fresh to support going.”

Several weeks of waste and acquisition speculation passed and linebacker Azeez Ojulari remains a Giant. USA TODAY Sports

Ojulari said that he was successful interaction pinch his supplier passim nan lead-up to nan deadline while still trying to spell astir his regular disconnected time routine.

He recovered retired successful nan day that he was staying put.

“It’s portion of nan business, but I can’t power that,” Ojulari said. “I consciousness for illustration everything smooth. Nothing crazy, thing scary.”

The Giants reportedly received calls astir Ojulari but were not consenting to move him for little than a fifth-round draught prime contempt nan likelihood of losing him successful free agency aft nan season.

There person been nary known hold negotiations, and nan Giants already person a brace of apical walk rushers successful Brian Burns, who is signed to a $141 cardinal deal, positive erstwhile No. 5-overall draught prime Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is astir to beryllium eligible for an extension.

Ojulari has 5 sacks successful nan past 4 games — coinciding pinch a boost successful his playing clip while Thibodeaux is sidelined aft wrist surgery.

“I’m happy it’s down me,” Ojulari said. “I’m locked successful connected this [next] crippled now. I don’t person to attraction connected each nan different worldly aliases study a caller defense.”

The marketplace value for separator rushers was little than anticipated arsenic Preston Smith (Packers to Steelers) was dealt for a seventh-round pick, Baron Browning (Broncos to Cardinals) went for a sixth-rounder, and Za’Darius Smith (Browns to Lions) and a seventh-rounder returned fifth- and sixth-rounders.

Thibodeaux, who will not play Sunday against nan Panthers, said Wednesday that he plans to return aft adjacent week’s bye.

That summation apt will trim Ojulari’s threat count, but possibly not each nan measurement backmost down to nan 37 percent that he was playing to commencement nan season.

Azeez Ojulari (left) and Dexter Lawrence sack Eagles backmost Jalen Hurts connected Oct. 20, 2024 astatine MetLife Stadium. Imagn Images

“All I tin do is play my role,” Ojulari said. “Whenever I’m retired there, do immoderate I tin to beryllium effective and make nan astir of nan opportunity. We’ve still 8 games — that’s a batch of games to put retired bully movie and effort to get wins.”

Former Giants wide head Dave Gettleman drafted Ojulari pinch a second-round prime successful 2021.

His 22 sacks since past are 2nd connected nan squad to Dexter Lawrence (23.5).

“It’s a bully alleviation disconnected my back,” Ojulari said. “The mentality stays nan aforesaid — proceed to play difficult and physical.”

The Giants besides held onto pending free-agent receiver Darius Slayton astatine nan deadline.

He is not allowed to behaviour media interviews while successful nan NFL-regulated concussion protocol.