Wide receivers
Kenny Golladay: KEEP
Darius Slayton: DUMP
Kadarius Toney: KEEP
Sterling Shepard: DUMP
John Ross: KEEP
David Sills: KEEP
Collin Johnson: KEEP
Dante Pettis: DUMP
Pharoh Cooper: DUMP
C.J. Board: DUMP
If nothing else, the NY Giants must do an autopsy of the offense this offseason to figure out what exactly went wrong for Kenny Golladay to go an entire season without reaching the end zone, after signing for $45 million guaranteed during free agency last spring.
Meanwhile, Darius Slayton’s regression is among the more disappointing developments of 2021. After looking like he had the potential to be a key contributor moving forward, Slayton dropped six passes and only posted 24 receptions for 310 yards and a touchdown. Slayton looked like nothing more than a typical fifth-round draft pick.
Shepard is the NY Giants’ longest-tenured player, but ruptured his Achilles tender in a December loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and New York would create $7.9 million in cap space by releasing Shepard while triggering a dead money charge of $4.5 million.
Some inside the league believe Johnson has breakout potential, if his role expands. And it’s a minor suprrise that Cooper is still on the roster, following his special teams gaffe in Chicago when he did not field a kickoff that was nearly recovered by the Bears.