NFL Free Agency: Three Wide Receivers the New York Giants Could Target
The New York Giants offense, which was expected to take a big leap in quarterback Daniel Jones’ second year, sputtered to the finish line last season. Due to a few factors, New York couldn’t get their offense going consistently week in and week out, which made it tough to for them to capitalize on the good work their improved defense was doing in 2020.
Saquon Barkley’s torn ACL is the headline reason for why the Giants’ offense failed to live up to expectations, but New York’s average yards per play and average yards per passing play graded out towards the very bottom of the league. The Giants were also in the bottom five in sacks taken, which is poor for sustaining drives.
Outside of Barkley, it’s looking more and more like the Giants wide receiving corps may not be as impressive as fans might have originally thought. Darius Slayton remains an enticing option as a field stretcher, but does not provide the consistency needed to scare defenses week in and week out.
After five seasons in the league, Sterling Shepard profiles as a solid professional receiver, but not a difference-making talent. Golden Tate brings intangibles and toughness to the gridiron, but save for a clutch catch or two here and there, he appears to be past his prime.
NFL Free Agency: Who could the Giants bring in to add dynamic playmaking ability to their team?
T.Y. Hilton
T.Y Hilton’s average annual value on his last contract was $13 million, but he won’t come close to getting that level of compensation again on his next contract. That’s good news for the Giants, who don’t have a ton of cap room, but could take advantage of the falling stock of the once-superstar wide receiver.
It feels like the narrative around Hilton is that he is always banged up or dealing with a soft tissue injury, but he’s actually one of the tougher players in the league. Hilton has played 14 or more games in six out of the past seven seasons, and would be someone the Giants can count on each Sunday. He may not have the same game breaking juice he had in his earlier days with the Colts, but will be worth a low risk contract to see if he can spark New York’s passing game.
Danny Amendola
Another player who may not have the separation he once did, Amendola’s route running underneath could be exactly the type of safety valve Daniel Jones needs. Barkley is likely to be back for the start of the 2021 season, and has always caught a ton of passes in the flat, but having another reliable target in the slot can only be a good thing for a quarterback heading into his third year.
Of course, Amendola and Giants coach Joe Judge overlapped during their time with the Patriots last decade. Amendola could be another “familiar” face the team looks to bring in to establish a culture of winning, which is something the former New England staffers are used to.
Sammy Watkins
No one has ever questioned Sammy Watkins’ ability coming out of Clemson as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He’s always looked the part, with his 6’1” frame, 4.43 40 yard dash combine speed, and unique ball skills.
Watkins has fit in seamlessly with the high powered Kansas City Chiefs the last three years, as a tangential weapon playing alongside Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. If contract offers for the veteran wide receiver are relatively equal financially and length wise, it would probably make the most sense for him to return to the Chiefs to try and win Super Bowl rings.
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But if he wants one last chance to prove that he can still be an elite receiver in this league, joining the Giants to help jumpstart their attack might be the best way to achieve it.