Don’t count out Hunter Sharp in New York Giants WR corps
By Henry Buggy
The New York Giants were projected to have one of the league’s best receiving corps heading into the 2017 season.
After signing Brandon Marshall last offseason, many expected Big Blue to have the best pass-catching trio in the NFL. That clearly didn’t happen.
New York’s receiving corps struggled mightily in 2017. Injuries, dropped passes, and poor blocking up front led to the league’s 19th ranked passing attack in terms of yards.
The Giants lost Odell Beckham Jr. and Marshall to season-ending ankle injuries in Week 5. Sterling Shepard was limited to 11 games in his second season, forcing Big Blue to dig deep on the receiver depth chart.
Despite posting the league’s most dropped passes (45), the Giants were able to find some positives in what was an embarrassing season.
The biggest takeaway from New York’s poor receiver play was depth. That’s something first-year general manager Dave Gettleman has looked to address in his first offseason.
But while the additions of Cody Latimer and Russell Shepard have addressed a need, the Giants also saw two receivers step up in a down year. Both Roger Lewis and Hunter Sharp made the most of their opportunities in a depleted receiving corps.
Lewis finished third on the team in receiving yards (416). He also made a huge overtime catch in the team’s Week 11 win over Kansas City.
Lewis is expected to compete with Latimer for the team’s No. 3 receiver role, but don’t count Sharp out of the mix.
New York Giants
Sharp entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Utah State. He spent a majority of last season on the Denver Broncos practice squad before being signed by the G-Men in December.
It didn’t take long for Sharp to find a connection with Eli Manning. In his first appearance as a Giant, he caught two passes for 25 yards. His first and only career start came in the team’s regular season finale win over the Washington Redskins. He recorded three catches for 29 yards and reeled in his first career touchdown.
Knowing What’s at Stake
Sharp has been making the most of his opportunities in organized team activities this offseason. He caught a touchdown pass from Manning during Wednesday’s OTA. His hope is that he can build off last season’s success, via New York’s team website.
"“I think it had a lot to do with helping my confidence and the chemistry (with Manning). I’m a lot more comfortable. That touchdown had me going into the offseason thinking I have a big shot to make the team and play a meaningful role.”"
Sharp also got a boost when Big Blue hired his former receiver coach Tyke Tolbert this offseason.
"“Tyke is a great guy and I learned a lot from him in Denver. When I heard about that it boosted my confidence a bit too because I’m really comfortable with him.”"
The 24-year-old receiver has plenty of room for growth. If he can prove himself a reliable weapon for Manning, he will surely earn a roster spot and likely some offensive snaps.
Sharp knows he will have to fill multiple roles to make the team’s 53-man roster. It’s something he is taking pride in working on this offseason.
"“I’m just focused on doing whatever I can on special teams to help the team, whether it’s gunner. I’m kind of new to that, but I really, really like it. The return game is something that has always been natural to me. I’m really excited this preseason to see what I can do with the ball in my hands. I’ve been working on my lateral movement, just trying to get off cuts faster and we’ll see if that helps me.”"
Sharp knows the feeling of being waived by a team just before the regular season. He knows what’s at stake with the Giants this summer. So far when he has had his number called by Big Blue he has stepped up.
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For those reasons, Giants fans shouldn’t count out Sharp in New York’s receiving corps. He could very well play himself into a significant receiving role behind Beckham, Shepard, and Latimer.