Sources: Giants trade for Basham, cut Ximines

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants acquired defensive end Boogie Basham in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The Giants are also activating wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday as they finalize their initial 53-man roster. The second-round pick tore the ACL in his right knee last November. He will now have two weeks of practice to get ready for the season.

With the new reinforcements on the roster, the Giants cut 2019 third-round pick Oshane Ximines on Tuesday, a source told ESPN. He had 6.5 career sacks for the Giants.

Basham was a second-round pick by the Bills out of Wake Forest in the 2021 NFL draft. Current Giants general manager Joe Schoen was part of the Buffalo front office when the selection was made. Current Giants coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator at the time and had a long look at Basham during practices.

Basham, 25, has 20 total tackles and 4.5 sacks in two seasons in Buffalo. He adds depth to a Giants outside linebacker group that was thin behind starters Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari.

New York also traded for versatile former Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Isaiah Simmons last week. Simmons will be working primarily with the Giants’ inside linebackers group but has also been used sporadically at outside linebacker early in his career.

Trading Basham marks the second straight year the Bills have dealt a second-round pick still on their rookie contract just before the start of the season. Last year, Buffalo traded 2019 offensive tackle Cody Ford, also a second-round selection, to the Arizona Cardinals in late August.

Basham seemed a likely candidate to make the roster as part of a crowded defensive line rotation. The team added to the pass-rush group this offseason by signing veteran Leonard Floyd after making a splash with Von Miller in 2022.

Basham flashed at times in camp, but ultimately didn’t show enough. For the rest of the room, the move signals belief in 2020 second-round pick AJ Epenesa, who is on the final year of his rookie deal.

Miller, meanwhile, will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler. This would keep him out for at least the first four games and give him time to return from the ACL injury he suffered last season.

ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.

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