New York Giants Training Camp Position Group Preview: Wide Receivers

The Giants have quantity at receiver. But have they upgraded the quality?

Author:
Andrew Parsaud
Publish date:
Jul 23, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

In this story:

We're taking an in-depth look at the New York Giants position groups before the start of training camp--the battles, the players, the questions, and more.

Here is our look at the very crowded receivers room.

Rostered Players

Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Parris Campbell, Sterling Shepard, Jalin Hyatt, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, Collin Johnson, Kalil Pimpleton, David Sills V, Makai Polk, Bryce Ford Wheaton, Jaydon Mickens, Cole Beasley

Position Overview

The state of the Giants’ wide receiver corps is an interesting one. Last season, the group battled various injuries and was a weak point in the offense. With those injuries, depth players who otherwise might have played supporting roles were thrust into starting roles.

Richie James, who left the team via free agency this past off-season, emerged as the number one slot option down the stretch. Isaiah Hodgins was claimed off waivers and immediately impacted by scoring four times in eight regular season games, including a 105-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Wild Card game.

Darius Slayton, who many didn't think would survive training camp, showed himself capable of producing in this offense and continued to be one of Daniel Jones’ favorite targets.

Despite those heroics, the Giants knew they needed upgrades at the position. They retained Hodgins, Slayton, and Sterling Shepard, who ended the year on injured reserve with a torn ACL. They brought in Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, and Cole Beasley via free agency and drafted Jalin Hyatt in the third round. Overall the Giants have about 14 receivers in what's probably the most crowded room we've seen in recent years.

While the group doesn’t have a clear-cut number-one wideout, there’s talent and speed on the roster that wasn’t there last year. The Giants are banking on the potential of quite a few players to lead the wide receiver room. Last year's weakness was not having enough speed to push the ball down the field.

Adding Hyatt, Campbell, and tight end Darren Waller will hopefully fix that problem. There’s untapped potential with this wideout room. The question is, what will the final group look like, and can whoever does make the final cuts stay healthy?

OTHER POSITION GROUPS

Running Backs | Tight Ends

Biggest Question Mark

Will the receivers have better luck in the injury department?

Last year, the Giants were plagued with injuries, but the wide receivers seemed to get the worst of it. Collin Johnson, Sterling Shepard, and Wan’Dale Robinson all had season-ending injuries--Shepard and Robinson are projected to start camp on the PUP list and are questionable to be ready for the start of the season.

Kenny Golladay dealt with knee injuries, and before being traded, Kadarius Toney had nagging hamstring issues before his trade to the Chiefs.

This led to the Giants passing offense struggling to find a rhythm, given all the different receivers inserted into the lineup early on in the season. Players like David Sills V and Marcus Johnson were given valuable playing time, which they, unfortunately, couldn't capitalize on.

The top three wideouts to end the season ended up being Hodgins. Slayton and James, who again, while productive, didn't exactly scare opponents.

This year the Giants have guys who can potentially scare opponents. But can they keep them on the field?

Key Training Camp Battle to Watch

The slot receiver position will be one to keep an eye on. Last season, it was Shepard, Robinson, and James battling for the job. This season, the contenders include Campbell, Beasley, Hyatt, and Crowder.

Campbell is the intriguing player in this battle. He battled many injuries during his first three seasons and barely saw the field. Fully healthy in 2022, he put up 63 receptions, 623 yards, and three touchdowns with the Colts.

That said, the late addition of Beasley is something to watch. Beasley, who, like Hodgins, played for head coach Brian Daboll in Buffalo, was lured out of retirement by the Giants and looks like he's leap-frogged ahead of all others for the primary slot role just based on his familiarity with the offense and the growing likelihood of Shepard and Robinson not being ready to practice for the start of camp.

Position Unit Grade: B-

The Giants have quantity at the position, but do they have quality? Wide receiver depth was a legitimate problem last year, and they’ve bolstered the back end of the roster to ensure that the problem doesn’t arise again. They have a variety of receivers who can fill different roles in various personnel packages. Still, will the production help push the Giants' passing offense into the top 10 league-wide?

And until further notice, there are still injury concerns with the group. We've mentioned Shepard and Robinson. Campbell is looking to shake the injury-prone label. Johnson hopes to pick up where he left off before an Achilles tear, and Crowder is working his way back from an ankle issue. These lower body issues are a legitimate concern for a position group that relies on their legs to generate speed.

Early 53-man Roster Projections

Starters: Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell
Backups: Cole Beasley, Jalin Hyatt, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith
Practice Squad: Collin Johnson, Bryce Ford Wheaton
PUP: Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard
Cut: David Sills, Makai Polk, Jaydon Mickens, Kalil Pimpleton

Going into Week 1 last season, the Giants carried seven receivers, so we're basing our projection on that number. The addition of Cole Beasley should ensure him a spot barring injury. Robinson and Shepard, we think, start the season on PUP and will be re-evaluated after six weeks; their availability is based on if the team has an opening due to injury at the position. And Campbell, s already noted, should be one of the starters in the 11-personnel package.

It will be interesting to see if Crowder and Smith make the roster now that Beasley has been added. Here is where special teams will come into play. Crowder can return punts, and Smith can serve as a gunner, so we think Crowder might have the edge of the two.

For the practice squad, if Johnson is healthy, we could see him hanging around. Bryce Ford Wheaton, the rookie undrafted free agent, was given a large amount of guaranteed money, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's a lock for the roster or the practice squad.