NFL Rumors: Potential Giants WR target is already pricing himself out of NY

This seems like way too much money per season for the veteran wideout

Jacksonville Jaguars v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jacksonville Jaguars v Tampa Bay Buccaneers / Kevin Sabitus/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

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.

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.

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.

manual