There is no denying that 2021 was a tough year for the Giants offensively. Every game it seemed like there was no real plan or direction, and the results definitely reflected this incompetence. Luckily, 2022 presents a clean slate for all the offensive personnel, and no position group is happier than the wide receivers. A historically bad offense in 2021 took its toll on the receiver room, but things appear to be changing with Brian Daboll looking to revamp the offense. Unfortunately we are not entirely sure what that system will look like next season, so it is hard to see what role players will eventually fill. What we can do is examine the wide receiver group, and give an honest assessment of what we can expect from them moving forward.
Kenny Golladay
You really have to feel bad for Golladay after seeing his first year in a Giants jersey. After posting consecutive 1000 yard seasons in 2018-19 with the Lions, Golladay earned himself a big pay day last spring. His first season with the Giants was disappointing, as he posted near career lows in every receiving category and finished the season without a touchdown. The good news for Golladay is that his poor play reflects more on the lack of usage by the previous coaching staff than on Golladay himself. In fact, an improved offensive system may be all Golladay needs to return to his usual self next season. It seems like Brain Daboll’s new offense aims to create confusion underneath which may create more space over the top for Golladay. Hopefully Daboll is able to unlock Golladay’s potential, and make him a more reliable and dangerous weapon for Daniel Jones. They are spending plenty of money for Golladay’s services, so they might as well put him to work.
Kadarius Toney
Of all the receivers on the Giants roster, Toney is the biggest X-factor in this offense. He alone has the potential to determine how well or poorly the Giants offense performs this year. Wide receivers have a tendency to break out in year two, and the Giants hope that trend continues with Toney. The 2021 first rounder showed glimpses of his extraordinary talent in the ten games he played. Unfortunately glimpses were all we got, as he would look invisible for games at a time in addition to dealing with multiple injuries.
Toney has to stay healthy to make his fullest impact, but his involvement in the offense is not in question. Daboll is supposedly making Toney more of a focal point while also letting him be more creative in how he runs routes. If he can stay on the field, there is no limit to what Toney can accomplish in this offense. However, last season warned us that there is still an enormous question mark as to whether or not that health related “if” holds up for a whole season. The idea that the fate of the offense rests in Kadarius Toney’s lap is either tantalizing or terrifying depending on who you ask, but his importance to the team can no longer be denied.
Sterling Shepard
The injury bug has bitten Shepard badly the past few years. Last season was Shepard’s most difficult by far, being hampered by several injuries before tearing his Achilles in Week 15. As a result, he finished the season having played just seven games and posted the worst numbers of his career. At this point, the biggest question for Shepard centers more around his rehab than any football activities. He was absent from minicamp, and it was reported that he had only just resumed jogging after the draft. Early reports indicated that he would resume practicing sometime in August, and as of now that remains true. However, Achilles injuries are rather delicate, and with Shepard approaching his 30th birthday, it only makes his injury that much more difficult to come back from. Shepard should still have a well defined role upon his return, but the Giants would be wise to take the cautious route with his return and workload throughout the season.
Wan’Dale Robinson
On draft night, many draft experts saw the Giants second round pick as a both a reach and a mismanagement of assets. Why would New York trade down twice to select a player with a Kadarius Toney-esque skillset who they could have gotten a round later? Some saw this as a signal that a trade involving Toney was imminent, but in a post-draft press conference, Joe Schoen emphatically denied this rumor. In fact during this press conference, Schoen frequently referred to both Toney and Robinson as “generators” meaning players who can create offense with the ball in their hands. He went on to reiterate that they would take as many of these generators as they could get, and mentioned that there was a “very clear vision” for Robinson in their system.
The Giants clearly liked him enough to take him at 43rd overall, and his fit in this system was a big reason why. If Schoen keeps his word, Robinson may emerge as an intriguing weapon in New York this year. In addition, if Sterling Shepard experiences any setbacks with his rehab, Robinson could take on a sizable workload very quickly. Even if Shepard is good to go, Daboll will still deploy Robinson in ways that play to his strengths. The more good news we hear about Robinson, the more he begins to look like the Giants best kept secret.
Darius Slayton
After two solid seasons in New York, Slayton had an objectively poor campaign in 2021 that saw him post career lows across the board (stop me if you’ve heard that before). The saying goes that a rising tide raises all boats, and the same applies with low tides bringing them down. Hopefully the Giants are willing to look past Slayton’s most recent season and recognize that the talent is there. To his credit, Slayton posted solid numbers out of college, and quickly became one of Daniel Jones’ favorite targets. However, he should definitely hope the team doesn’t nitpick his 2021 tape because there were more than a few forgettable moments. I would love to say definitively that Slayton’s roster spot is safe, but his status remains up in the air. The new front office has already brought in some new faces at the receiver position, and Slayton’s salary just jumped up from $965,000 to $2.4 million. The Giants are already have serious cap issues and without the protection from the regime that drafted him, there is a very real possibility Slayton is let go before the start of the season.
Richie James
Thought it’s unlikely James becomes a featured piece in the offense, he still a good bet to make the roster. James fits Joe Schoen’s “generator” archetype, but will likely see his talents utilized in the return game more than anything. With the 49ers, James was a solid albeit sporadic contributor to the offense showcasing his speed and shiftiness on numerous occasions. He played great football in 2020 and was competing for starting slot duties before a knee injury derailed his season. The Giants signed him in March, and it could mature into a real savvy deal for the Giants. It seems unfair that James may be closer to a roster spot than Darius Slayton, but it makes sense upon further review. Schoen signed James specifically to supplement Brian Daboll’s offense, and is still only 26 on a relatively cheap deal. He will be a serviceable returner, and don’t be surprised if injuries force him to assume a larger offensive role.
Special Teamers: C.J. Board, Collin Johnson, Alex Bachman
Everyone in this group has a chance of making the roster, but probably only in a special teams capacity. Of this group, C.J. Board has the inside track to earn this spot, as he developed into a key special teams piece last season. Unfortunately, he only managed to play in six games for the Giants before a broken arm ended his season. In those games, he was a consistent presence on special teams, appearing in nearly half of all special teams snaps. He resigned in March which signals to some degree that the Giants were pleased with his performance despite limited games. Collin Johnson also has decent odds to earn this spot, as he filled in admirably when Board went down.
Long Shots: Keelan Doss, Robert Foster, David Sills, Travis Toivonen
This is the “everyone else” category. Training camp and preseason performance will ultimately determine who sticks around from this group. However, there are still some interesting names worth mentioning who may grab the last few wide receiver spots. The Giants signed Keelan Doss following a solid minicamp tryout, and he could prove to be a solid depth receiver. Robert Foster played in Buffalo, which means he may have some connections with the current coaching staff. David Sills was a Giant last season, and played a Swiss Army knife role after injuries ravaged the receiver room. Travis Toivonen has had quite the journey to the NFL, and is fighting for his first official contract at the age of 24.
Group as a whole
The Giants wide receiver group entering training camp is fairly diverse and features a number of different skillsets. While the group is not drastically different from last year, more capable coaching will to get more out of them. Additionally, it seems like Daboll and Mike Kafka are building this offense around the current group rather than shoehorning players into ill-fitting roles. Last season was a disaster for everyone, so any progress that is made will be seen as a win. The offense has high aspirations in 2022, and this group of receivers can make that dream a reality.