The New York Giants have a pass-catching problem on their hands after a nightmarish July.
No. 1 receiver Sterling Shepard fractured his thumb, No. 2 receiver Golden Tate is appealing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy, and No. 3 receiver Corey Coleman is out for the season after tearing his ACL.
That’s a less than auspicious start to life without Odell Beckham Jr.
Veteran quarterback Eli Manning is now slated to enter Week 1 with a wide-receiving corps of Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, Cody Latimer, and Darius Slayton.
Manning is on his last legs as a pro and that kind of pass-catching unit to start the season is not going to do him any favors.
Expect him to rely heavily on tight end Evan Engram and All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley.
There is still plenty of time for Gettleman to bring on another wide receiver to add another dimension to the positional competition rather slotting in practice-squad players.
A prominent name is out there on the market to be had, too.
Michael Crabtree is back on the block after initial reports on Monday suggested that he was signing with the Arizona Cardinals. While the 31-year-old tried out for the team, contract negotiations broke down, per NBC Sports’ Mike Florio.
Preparing for his 11th NFL season, Crabtree has a track record solid enough for the Giants to at least consider taking a flyer on.
By no means has Crabtree’s production worthy of top-receiver billing. In 2017 with the Oakland Raiders and 2018 with the Baltimore Ravens, he averaged 612 yards per season. It was a far cry from his previous two seasons in Oakland when he averaged 962 yards with a combined 17 touchdowns.
His career has mostly been a series of failed expectations. After being taken 10th overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2009, Crabtree recorded just one 1,000-yard season over his first four seasons despite being targeted on average 107 times per year.
A torn ACL following his 1,105-yard, nine-touchdown 2012 campaign barred Crabtree from further developing into the dangerous receiver he was billed to be. Along with a reportedly questionable attitude in the locker room, he would last one more season in San Francisco before moving to Oakland in 2015.
If one could put Crabtree’s history aside and look solely at the numbers, however, it might be worth the Giants taking a chance on him.
He might not be in his prime, but Crabtree’s average of 747 yards per season would add an experienced, proven wide receiver to a Giants group that lacks any after injuries and suspensions.
None of the Giants’ healthy receivers have recorded more than 350 yards in a single season.
If you combine the career numbers of the team’s three most experienced available receivers — Russell Shepard, Latimer, and Fowler — they don’t come close to Crabtree’s numbers:
Shepard, Latimer, Fowler combined career stats
190 games, 175 receptions, 2,354 yards, 16 touchdowns
Michael Crabtree career stats
141 games, 633 receptions, 7,477 yards, 54 touchdowns
Even if it’s a temporary solution until Sterling Shepard and Tate return, Manning has a more reliable target available on the outside.
Should things work out, however, the Giants suddenly have a nice trio of receivers for Manning — or maybe Daniel Jones — to utilize in 2019.
