New York Giants: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

• Giants leading receiver for five seasons (1995-98)
• Upon retirement, ranked third in career receptions for Giants (334 catches)
• Set franchise record with a catch in 47 straight games
• Never missed a game while with the Giants

With this selection of Giants wide receiver Chris Calloway, you get a brief history lesson of Plan B free agency as a bonus. According to Front Office Football, NFL owners unilaterally implemented a Plan B free agency system during the turbulent era that predated the current modern era of free agency that began in 1992.

At that time, NFL teams could protect 37 members of their 47-man rosters. Ironically, Calloway is often called a Plan B free agent, even though he was left unprotected by the Pittsburgh Steelers, so he was simply a free agent. Under that archaic system, the Giants were not required to provide the Steelers with compensation upon Calloway’s signing in 1992.

According to Pro Football Reference, Calloway played in 112 games for the G-Men, starting in 86 contests for Big Blue. He caught 334 passes for Big Blue in seven seasons, with 27 touchdown grabs.

He ranks eighth on the Giants’ career receptions and receiving yards list and was undoubtedly a valuable addition to the franchise in the mid-1990s. The G-Men made the NFL playoffs twice during his time with the squad (1993, 1997). In three playoff games, Calloway caught 10 passes for 107 yards.

Originally, Calloway was a fourth-round selection by the Steelers in the 1990 NFL Draft, so the G-Men were able to scoop him up after just two years in the league. After his tenure with the Giants ended in 1998, Calloway also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots.

He retired from the Patriots in 2000 after playing in just seven games.

Older Giants fans will remember ESPN’s Chris Berman and his rendition of Hi-De-Ho by Cab Calloway when broadcasting Chris Calloway highlights on SportsCenter.