Receiving attention
Expect stiff competition in Giant fleet of wideouts
Every team has a bunch of them this time of year. The Giants have more than the norm. Wide receivers, that is. The Giants have 14 of them as they take a break before the start of training camp, which will begin the last week of July. When they reconvene, the battle for roster spots at the position figures to be intense, with only a handful of players pretty much assured of making the team and the majority of them needing to show they are healthy enough, productive enough, or both, to stay around.
“Yeah, it’s probably the biggest receiver group I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here, but that’s what we wanted to bring in,’’ said veteran Sterling Shepard, who fits squarely in the “needs to show he is healthy’’ category. “We wanted to bring in competition. Some guys run from competition, and some people don’t. We’re definitely going to see what we have, because we have a lot of guys that can play some good ball.
“I love the fact that we added more playmakers. It’s not just on one person to make all the plays. We’ve got a lot of guys that can do it.’’
There are all shapes and sizes inhabiting the wide receivers room, and at this point there is no bona fide No. 1 target for quarterback Daniel Jones. Tight end Darren Waller, acquired in a trade with the Raiders, will likely fill that role. What the Giants hope is that when the time comes to make final cuts, they are letting go of quality players and keeping desirable talent.
Of the 14 wide receivers, it looks as if just four of them are assured (barring anything unforeseen) of a place on the team: returnees Darius Slayton and Isaiah Hodgins, free-agent pickup Parris Campbell and rookie third-round pick Jalin Hyatt. Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson are both coming off reconstructive ACL surgeries and will not be rushed this summer. Shepard said his goal is to be ready for the start of the season. Robinson, injured during Week 11 last season as a rookie, is further behind and is certainly a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve.
Jamison Crowder and Jeff Smith were added on one-year deals in free agency, but will need to impress the Giants’ coaching staff to make it. Towering Collin Johnson was carving a place for himself last summer before he was lost to a torn ACL. He is back for another shot. David Sills has a history of training camp excellence and got into nine games in 2022, but there are plenty of bodies in front of him.
Jaydon Mickens, 29, probably needs to show something as a kick returner, as does practice squad stalwart Kalil Pimpleton. Makai Polk arrives from the Ravens’ practice squad with work to do. Bryce FordWheaton was undrafted out of West Virginia and immediately became a free-agent priority signing for the Giants.
The footballs will be coming fast and furious to these 14 players once camp opens up. Head coach Brian Daboll prefers to keep around as many receivers as possible.
“Dabs like to have one more guy than most teams,’’ wide receivers coach Mike Groh said. “I do think it makes sense, with all the emphasis on passing, just to try to save a few steps and keep everybody healthy through the entirety of camp.’’
It was clearly evident seeing the Giants on the field this spring that the additions of Campbell, Smith and Hyatt changed the physical qualities of the position group.
“Just top to bottom, they’re much faster,’’ Groh said.
Dependability and versatility will be paramount to rise ahead in this competition. Campbell, during the organized team activity practices and the minicamp, at times lined up in the backfield and took handoffs. Perhaps the Giants will try to cultivate Campbell — who after three years dealing with injury issues, finally put together a healthy season in 2022 for the Colts — in the mold of a Deebo Samuel-type threat
“I did it some in Indy,’’ Campbell said of taking reps at running back. “But it’s really my high school and my college background. It’s not new to me. It’s something that I’ve done playing football before. But it’s also fun for me. It’s something that I like to do because they’re using me in different ways. I feel like that’s something that I’m good at, too, out on the football field. Getting some reps back there is good.’’
There will be plenty of reps for all these guys when camp heats up.