The NY Giants must aim to accomplish two things in 2021; evaluating whether Daniel Jones can quickly develop into one of the NFL’s elite quarterback and take significant steps towards returning to the postseason for the first time since 2016. Prioritizing adding marquee wide receiver help through free agency and the NFL Draft could prove instrumental in both.
While Jones regressed dramatically in his second season, raising questions about whether he can develop into one of the ten best passers in the game, he received little help from his supporting cast.
Just how little did the NY Giants get out of the receiver position in 2020?
Darius Slayton led the Giants in receiving yards, with just 751, and no Giants receiver caught more than three touchdowns. It’s easy to see how this offense averaged just over 17 points per game, given that lack of production.
Fortunately for the Giants, some of the game’s more dynamic and game-altering receivers are about to hit the open-market in free agency and this is believed to be one of the stronger NFL Draft classes at the position in recent years.
Here’s a look at two potential free agent targets and two wide receiver prospects in the NFL Draft, who would be ideal fits for the NY Giants:
1) Allen Robinson
Robinson remains one of the most gifted receivers in the NFL, despite spending his entire career catching passes from middling mediocre quarterbacks.
The 27-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and should have a robust market. The Giants should be among the first teams to check in and make an offer, of the organization is serious about continuing to bolster the arsenal around quarterback Daniel Jones.
Robinson, 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds has one of the widest catch radiuses in the NFL, and has not dropped more than three passes in a single season in the past three years. A matchup nightmare most cornerbacks around the league, Robinson caught caught 102 of his 150 targets this season, while Bears quarterbacks had a 90.1 passer rating when throwing his way. If that isn’t the kind of production and reliability that can hasten a young quarterback’s development, I’m not sure what is.