This Week 8 Opponent Would Help Fortify a Giants Weakness

Garrett Wilson of the Jets could provide a nice boost to the New York Giants' receiving corps.

Author:
Hunter De Siver
Publish date:
Jul 18, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

In this story:

As we count down to training camp, the Giants Country editorial team went through the rosters of each of the Giants' 2023 regular-season opponents and selected a player that, if the Giants could acquire for the upcoming season, they absolutely should.

Who did we pick from each team? Stay tuned--and yes, for the NFC East teams, we picked two players since the Giants play them twice.

Aug 15, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Jets helmet on the sideline against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. — Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Garrett Wilson, Wide Receiver

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 192 lbs.
College: Ohio State | Exp: 2
Career Stats: 83 receptions, 1,103 yards and four touchdowns

The New York Giants have a plethora of wide receivers capable of playing on Sundays. However, the "best" receiver isn’t much better than the "worst."

The Giants heavily relied on the legs of running back Saquon Barkley and even quarterback Daniel Jones to put points on the board in 2022. Jones had just 16 fewer rushing yards (708) than New York’s receiving yards leader Darius Slayton (724).

The Giants acquired Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller this offseason, which helps the passing game. But getting a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver like New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson would be a game changer.

The Jets went through three quarterbacks last season, completing a combined 56 percent of passes and throwing the same number of touchdowns as interceptions (14). Despite these obstacles, Wilson hauled in 83 receptions for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. He won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award for his efforts.

As a passer, Jones wasn’t outstanding last season, as he threw for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Wilson was a 1,100-yard receiver with quarterbacks that played much worse, so imagine what he could do with Jones.

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Where Would He Fit In?

Jones's numbers could’ve been better, but his receiving corps didn’t have a true WR1, with none coming close to Wilson’s numbers.

Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, and Parris Campbell will likely be the Week 1 starters. If Wilson were to join them, he’d become the WR1. Team chemistry is arguably the most important trait to a franchise's success, and Campbell and Wilson would be ahead of the curve. Many teams have multiple players from the same school, but not all play the same position. Wilson and Campbell both went to Ohio State.

Talking about Ohio State at training camp and getting the receiver room in on OSU’s inside jokes and memories could bring them closer together, effectively getting the best out of each other.