The NY Giants did well to rejuvenate their pass-catching arsenal last offseason. Ultimately, though, Darren Waller, Jalin Hyatt and Parris Campbell were nowhere near good enough to support a prolific aerial attack.
Luckily, general manager Joe Schoen will have a plethora of options to choose from. Every offseason, there's seemingly always at least one receiver that demands a trade. Even the free agent market, though top-heavy, offers some intriguing names.
Mike Evans is the cream of that crop. Fans in East Rutherford have dreamed of Evans signing with the Giants. They were listed as a potential landing spot for Evans before the trade deadline. That was speculated under the assumption that the Buccaneers would be sellers, but they wound up winning the NFC South and toppling the Eagles in the Wild Card Round.
Now, Evans can be had for nothing but salary. It remains to be seen how much Schoen is willing to spend, but the latest rumblings of Evans' expected annual earnings might price him out of New York.
NEWS: Impending free agent WRA Mike Evans is expected to receive a multi-year contract of close to 30 MILLION DOLLARS per year, according to the @HoustonChron.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 2, 2024
He is repped by @DerykGilmore of @Day1SportsEnt. pic.twitter.com/sImBw2FuEY
Giants Rumors: Mike Evans' contract demands could price him out of NY
That's a real bummer.
The Giants have over $21 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. That number stands to improve with potential extensions and contract restructures. They could sign Evans if they really wanted to, but is New York in a position to splurge $30 million per year on a star receiver?
If the Giants were a piece away from contention, or knew Daniel Jones was the guy, signing Evans would make a lot more sense. It also would be a different conversation if Evans was asking for $20-25 million, but spending a king's ransom on Evans when Schoen could move on from Jones after next season doesn't seem like good business.
The Giants have a nice foundation at wide receiver to build on. With Tyrod Taylor under center, fans caught a glimpse of what Hyatt and 2022 second-round pick Wan'Dale Robinson can bring to the table in a functioning offense.
Best and worst receivers this season at being charted as open vs single man coverage. pic.twitter.com/1kO9t6eAbY
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) January 30, 2024
Robinson led the team with 60 receptions and was a monster after the catch, while Hyatt averaged a whopping 16.2 yards per catch, which hints at his potential as a deep threat. Even Waller showed flashes to close the season after a rocky start and a stint on Injured Reserve.
Evans is a potential future Hall of Famer and the Giants would obviously benefit by signing him. At this price, though, Big Blue would be better off targeting a second-tier free agent and saving up to go all in on a WR in 2025 free agency.