Giants swap B.J. Hill for Billy Price to add depth to offensive line, source confirms
Billy Price looks on during training camp workouts on the practice field at Paul Brown Stadium on August 23, 2020 in Cincinnati. Credit: Getty Images/Joe Robbins
The Giants traded a player from an area of depth to acquire a player for an area in need of reinforcements on Monday, sending defensive tackle B.J. Hill to the Bengals in exchange for interior offensive lineman Billy Price, a source confirmed. The Giants also sent a conditional seventh-rounder to the Bengals in the deal.
"He’s a guy who drew a lot of interest," Joe Judge said of Hill, a former third-round pick in his fourth NFL season. "I think he’s a starting defensive lineman in this league who was in a unique position in the room he was in."
That position was playing behind projected starters Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Johnson as well as alongside veterans Danny Shelton and impressive rookie Raymond Johnson III. The Giants are so deep up front that Hill may not have even made their 53-man roster when final cuts are due on Tuesday.
"This is an opportunity to improve our team," Judge said, "but also put a player we have a lot of respect for in a position to go out and get paid starter money. It’s something I think works out for both parties."
Judge spoke before the trade was finalized so while he spoke on Hill — and said he had spoken to Hill about the swap — he declined to speak on Price. The Giants get a former first-round pick who started 10 games at center as a rookie but just nine in the two seasons since because of injuries. The Bengals did not use their fifth-year option on Price, who turns 27 in October. While he might not immediately impact the starting unit, Price provides an experienced backup, something the team has been trying to add all summer as it prepares to head into the regular season with five projected starters age 25 or younger.
"We’re trying to build the depth of the offensive line across the board," Judge said.
And in any way possible.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
