New York Giants: Rueben Randle Must Step Up

The New York Giants drafted Rueben Randle in the 2nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Giants were hoping that Randle would finally develop into a star. Randle has been a decent player but he has never had the breakout year that analysts have projected every offseason. This season he has made big plays but with inconsistent performance.

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Randle has 40 receptions for 511 yards and four touchdowns. This is decent production, at least on face value for a number two receiver. Yet when you consider the absence of Victor Cruz, the inconsistency and injury of Larry Donnell plus the absurd amount of attention Odell Beckham receives, Randle has under-achieved. The Giants were supposed to have a top flight passing game, with or without Cruz. We have seen that top flight passing attack at times this season, the keywords being at times. There seems to be a positive correlation between the inconsistency of Randle and the inconsistency of the offense.

Randle and running back Shane Vereen both have 40 receptions. That is right a running back has as many receptions as the Giants number two receiver. Randle is barely outshining Dwayne Harris, who didn’t begin the season as an integral component to the offense. Harris has 27 receptions for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns.

When it comes to the Giants weapons it is Odell Beckham and then everybody else. Beckham has 72 receptions, 1005 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Giants need somebody to take some pressure off of Beckham. The Giants would love that somebody to be Randle.

At this point, Randle is who Randle is. He is a decent number two who can make the occasional big play and the occasional big game. The Giants just need to get the occasional big production on a more regular basis. There are times when Randle seemingly disappears from the action.

The question becomes why is Randle’s production so fickle? It isn’t the system. The Giants pass it a lot and they spread the football around. If Randle gets open he will get the football. Randle has the ability to burn any cornerback in man to man coverage. He needs to play his A game all the time. He also needs to get better at running his routes and finding the gap in zone coverage.

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The Giants offense is capable of having gigantic numbers in the passing game. To get the kind of production they need, Randle has to be a more consistent weapon for Manning and the offense.