The New York Giants were called “crazy” and “irresponsible” for trading star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and sack leader Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns this past March for a package of players and draft picks.

Six weeks into the season, it looks like Giants general manager Dave Gettleman may not have been so reckless after all.

The Giants’ total take from the two trades, which were consolidated into one transaction by the league, is starting right guard Kevin Zeitler, starting safety Jabrill Peppers, starting defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, up-and-coming pass-rushing linebacker Oshane Ximines and $15 million in freed-up cap space in each of the next four seasons.

They used part of that cap relief to extend the contract of wide receiver Sterling Shepard and to ink veteran free agent wideout Golden Tate to a four-year deal.

The Browns are no better off after making the trade. Expected to compete for the AFC North title, they have the same record as the Giants, and like the Giants, are only one game off the division lead. But as we all know, neither team is being considered playoff timber.

Browns fans and national pundits who initially labeled this deal as a heist are now backtracking as the Giants appear to have come away better off.

Beckham has as many touchdowns as Peppers at this point of the season and is not providing the spark the Browns had hoped, whether it be his fault or not.

From Dawg Pound Daily:

“Beckham has been a disappointment for Browns fans this season. They expected to see 100-yard receiving games and wonderful highlight plays. However, his only real highlight play this season was his 88-yard touchdown versus the New York Jets.

He has been targeted a team-high 54 times, catching 29 receptions for 436 yards and only a single touchdown so far this year. There are many reasons for his struggles, but it has not been because of lack of targets.” The biggest miscalculation made by Cleveland general manager John Dorsey was the value provided by Zeitler, who is making a huge difference this season for the Giants while the Browns are having difficulty protecting Baker Mayfield. Vernon was regarded as a bust free agent for the Giants. It was generally believed that the Giants were going to release Vernon this past offseason if they could not find a team interested in him. They did, in the Browns, who are seeing why the Giants wanted to part ways with him. More from Dawg Pound Daily: “They also added Olivier Vernon from the Giants, but he has also been a huge disappointment, recording only one sack and the fewest amount of tackles among the starters on the defensive line. Meanwhile the defensive starter they lost in the trade, Jabrill Peppers is having the best season of his career. He is second on the team in tackles with 40 and he has a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown and a forced fumble on the season as well.”

There’s still a long way to go when it comes to evaluating this trade, but from the outset, many saw the Giants as winners simply by addition through subtraction. With Zeitler and three young studs, plus cap flexibility going forward, they will become bigger winners.