Odell Beckham Jr’s days with Big Blue may be over but the wide receiver position remains a major talking point for the New York Giants.
Odell Beckham Jr’s headline departure from the New York Giants has since paved the way for competition among both rookie and veteran playmakers this summer.
Training camp is back and while discussion rages on over who will predominantly be under center, there is uncertainty over who will be rising to make the catches.
This piece originally started out as a look into the surprising depth in a department that just bid farewell to one of the league’s top players. Cue a Sterling Shepard thumb fracture, a Darius Slayton hamstring issue, and a Corey Coleman ACL tear. Suddenly, it needed a re-write.
A fractured thumb for Shepard is untimely and while limited activity in camp is a concern, it shouldn’t have completely diminished his chances of starting the season.
The Giants will certainly be hoping so, with the Oklahoma product has been a lock to serve as Eli Manning‘s primary receiver option come Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Having finished 2018 with a modest 66 receptions for 872 and four touchdowns, the 26-year-old enters the new season with a more senior responsibility. Now is the time for Shepard to step up as that assured No.1 with game-changing contributions and a prominent role in opposition defensive meetings.
Nonetheless, it does remain to be seen how much of a hindrance his injury will prove as he is monitored on a week-to-week basis.