Injury in Tampa Bay could have positive impact on Giants' compensatory picks

Injuries in the NFL are common but learning of them is never good news. However, some do open the door for other players and, in turn, may impact the compensatory pick formula.

Such is the case down in Tampa Bay where Buccaneers guard Sua Opeta was lost for the season due to a torn ACL suffered during Tuesday’s practice.

Opeta had been competing with former New York Giants guard Ben Bredeson for the starting job. The pair had been rotating first-team reps, but if now appears to be Bredeson’s job to lose.

Although the Giants certainly didn’t want to see Opeta go down with an injury, they’re undoubtedly happy that Bredeson is likely to step into a starting role.

Bredeson is among the free agent players the Giants lost who will count toward the 2025 NFL draft compensatory pick formula. Prior to Opeta’s injury, they were projected to receive a seventh-round pick.

Should Bredeson assume that starting role and play a majority of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps, that would bode well for the Giants, who could then see that seventh-round pick turned into a fourth-round pick.

The Giants currently have eight picks in 2025:

• Round 1
• Round 2
• Round 3
• Round 4
• Round 5
• Round 5 (via Seattle)
• Round 7
• Round 7 (via Buffalo)

Their sixth-round pick was traded to Buffalo in a swap that included linebacker Boogie Bashmam. The pick from Seattle was part of the trade for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.

Should Bredeson start the season, expect to see that additional fourth-round pick added to the assets listed above.