The New York Giants nearly traded restricted free agent defensive tackle Barry Cofield to the New Orleans Saints on the second day of the 2010 NFL Draft, but the deal fell through. Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger has the details on why that deal feel through.

"The Giants weren’t actively shopping Cofield. It’s just that the Saints called with an offer they couldn’t refuse. That offer was the Saints’ second-round pick – the last one in the round, No. 64 overall. At that point, knowing Cofield was playing on a one-year deal and might depart next year without any compensation, the Giants were prepared to at least get something back for him. (I had mentioned there was a team sniffing around Cofield before the deadline to sign an offer sheet; that team was the Saints.)

The teams worked out the trade before the Giants selected Linval Joseph at No. 46 overall. This was an interesting revelation because many assumed Cofield became expendable after the Giants added Joseph. It would seem that’s when talks picked up. But that would be an incorrect assumption."

Garafolo goes on to explain why that was an incorrect assumption, what ultimately killed the deal, and where things presently stand between the Giants and Cofield.