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.
2) Kenny Golladay
If the Giants are setting out to sign a deep threat to complement Darius Slayton and who is capable of helping Jones reach his ceiling, Golladay might be an ideal fit.
Golladay, 27, had the second-most yardage on deep passes of any receiver in the league in 2019, and has the skill-set not just to get behind a defense but also to be a difference-maker in the red-zone.
Last season, Golladay caught 20 of 32 targets for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns in XX games. Matthew Stafford was a better quarterback and the Lions a more prolific offense when Golladay was on the field, as evident by Stafford producing a stellar 119 passer rating when targeting him.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has vowed to aggressively add playmakers on offense, and Golladay might be exactly what is necessary to make a fair evaluation of Jones and perhaps elevate this offense to new heights.
3) Devonta Smith
The Giants sat out what was believed to be a historically deep and talented wide receiver class during the 2020 NFL Draft — which if early returns of the class prove true, will reinforce that belief — but that is unlikely to be the case this year after New York’s receivers’ dramatic regression last season.
It is entirely possible, and there is an argument that they should, that the NY Giants will invest the No. 11 overall pick in a receiver. That receiver could very well be Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith.
If Smith is the Giants’ pick, he would arrive in East Rutherford as the receiver with the highest ceiling, immediately rise to the top of the depth chart, and his ball-skills would likely make him Jones’ favorite target. Last season, PFF gave Smith a career-high 95.6 receiving grade, with an even higher 96.1 mark against man coverage.
Smith, 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, is widely viewed as a top-10 pick and might not be available when the Giants go on the clock, but if he’s on the board, his combination of elite speed and reliable hands would be tough to pass up.
4) Terrace Marshall
The Giants, of course, have plenty of needs in addition to wide receiver, and if Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge opt to choose a cornerback, offensive tackle, or pass-rusher at No. 11, there are still some explosive receivers to be had later on.
Terrace Marshall has the physical traits to compete with any cornerback in the NFL, and an outrageously wide catch radius that helped him pull down 25 of 41 contested passes during his collegiate career, according to PFF.
In addition to his ability to make contested catches in traffic, Marshall also has the speed and agility to make defenders miss in the open-field after the catch. Both would be more than welcomed additions to the Giants’ offense and Jones’ supporting cast.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.