NFL Salary Cap Casualties: 9 Wide Receivers Who Could Be Giants

Harry Douglas (Tennessee Titans)

Age: Will be 32

2016 Cap Hit: $4,483,333

Likeliness of Trade / Release: B

*$500,000 roster bonus due on undisclosed date
If Traded or Cut: 

• Pre 6/1: $1,466,666 in 2016 dead cap ($3,016,667 savings)
• Post 6/1: $733,333 in 2016 dead cap ($3.75M savings), $733,334 in 2017 dead cap

Douglas had a career year in 2013, but has never caught more than two touchdowns in 7 years. Despite totaling the most starts in his career last season, Douglas only caught 36 of 72 targets and ended up third in yardage on the team behind Delanie Walker and Dorial Green-Beckham.

Pierre Garcon (Washington Redskins)

Age: Will be 30

2016 Cap Hit: $10,200,000

Likeliness of Trade / Release: C

If Traded or Cut: $2.2M in 2016 dead cap ($8M savings)

Washington has the fourth least amount under the salary cap in the league. Garcon has been a fairly consistent target, gaining 700 or more receiving yards in six of his eight seasons. He’s also the third biggest cap hit to the Redskins in 2016 behind Robert Griffin III and Trent Williams. RG3 is as good as gone, but the Hogs have more than a dozen players earning more than $4 million next season and four or five key players entering free agency. It would be great to remove a threat from a divisional foe, but Garcon’s ill will towards the Giants might be too deep-seated.

Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons)

Age: 34

2016 Cap Hit: $6,137,500

Likeliness of Trade / Release: C

If Traded or Cut: 

• Pre 6/1: $3,775,000 in 2016 dead cap ($2,542,500 savings)
• Post 6/1: $1,887,500 in 2016 dead cap ($4.249M savings), $1,887,500 in 2017 dead cap

The 4-time Pro Bowler & 1-time First-Team All-Pro had six straight 1,000 yard seasons from 2007 – 2012. White came close to that mark in 2014, but just barely crossed 500 yards last season. His lone touchdown in 2015 was the lowest of his careers since 2006. Roddy typically averages more than 6 scores per year. Not sure how his personality will fit within the clubhouse dynamic.

Brandon LaFell (New England Patriots)

Age: 29

2016 Cap Hit: $3,675,000

Likeliness of Trade / Release: C

If Traded or Cut: $1M in 2016 dead cap ($2.675M savings)

LaFell had the best season of his career in 2014, but took a step back in 2015 despite injuries to Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Julian Edelman. It got to the point where Tom Brady was heavily targeting running backs James White and Brandon Bolden. The former third round pick for Carolina could be an interesting addition. New England has the sixth least salary cap available, but don’t have a bunch of marquee players entering free agency.

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CONCLUSION:

Taking on a wideout on the decline seems like an easy decision: PASS. But, look what happened with James Jones last season. The Giants brass might publicly say they wouldn’t have changed a thing, but if you injected them with truth serum, 10 out of 10 would have kept Jones and cut Preston Parker. While Jones doesn’t exactly blow anyone away in any category, the dude finds a way to get separation and catch the ball off cuts, in traffic, and most importantly in the end zone. I don’t see why the Giants wouldn’t consider a veteran wideout with a good head on his shoulders who can mentor and make a clutch catch here and there. A one-year lease for a Super Bowl push seems reasonable.