The new York Giants received some bad news on the first day of training camp when wide receiver Sterling Shepard suffered a fractured left thumb and could miss significant time.
The team has said Shepard will be evaluated on a “week-to-week” basis, but this is an injury that may keep him from playing the first few games of the regular season, which would be a sizable loss to the Giants’ offense.
Before practice on Thursday, head coach Pat Shurmur was asked if Shepard can become the Giants’ No. 1 wideout now that superstar Odell Beckham Jr. has taken his talents to the shores of Lake Erie.
“Sure, I think he can be,” Shurmur said. “Sterling is a football player, and we appreciate his toughness and his ability to make plays, and all the things he adds to the team. He’s a value-added guy in my mind. He plays his position, but he makes the people around him better. I think that’s what all the players should strive to do.”
If Shepard does end up missing the first month of the season (or more), what are the Giants’ options in backfilling his role?
On the roster, they have a slew of wideouts. Free agent Golden Tate will slide into the No. 1 spot but what’s behind him is a logjam of part-time, underachieving and unproven players: Cody Latimer, Corey Coleman, Russell Shepard, Bennie Fowler, Darius Slayton, Alonzo Russell, Brittan Golden, Reggie White Jr., Da’Mari Scott and Alex Wesley.
The Giants can also use tight end Evan Engram as a slot receiver, which may be part of the plan this year. But if none of these players rise to the occasion in camp, are there any wideouts sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring the Giants high call upon?
As a matter of fact, yes, but the pickins are slim.
Michael Crabtree
Crabtree, 31, was released by the Ravens in February, a cap casualty. He is an accomplished receiver who has logged in five consecutive 600-yard seasons but is not the player he was earlier in his career. If the Giants are going to sign him, he’d have to be a better option than Latimer, Fowler or the others. I say they pass on him, too.
Dez Bryant
Bryant, also 31, didn’t get signed until November last season (by New Orleans) and then tore his Achilles keeping him out of action for the remainder of the season. Bryant is back running again but few teams have shown interest. The Giants don’t have the appetite any longer for eccentric players, especially ones that are past their prime.
Pierre Garcon
The 32-year-old Garcon has his 2019 option declined by the 49ers in February and is near the end of his career. He only had 64 catches with San Fran over the past two seasons. He finished last year on IR after injuring his knee in December. Again, he’s unsigned for a reason.
Martavis Bryant
The 27-year-old Bryant has great size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and always showed potential but he’s currently suspended — the third suspension of his career, and you — and is awaiting the league to reinstate him. He may have a long wait. Chances are you’ll see Del Shofner suit up for Big Blue again before Bryant ever wears a Giant uniform.
Kelvin Benjamin
A former first round pick of Dave Gettleman during his time with the Carolina Panthers, Benjamin has bounced around a bit the last few seasons. Last year, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound former Florida State star finished the season in Kansas City. Chances are he finds a job somewhere, but that hasn’t happened yet and don’t expect Gettleman to get nostalgic and reunite with Benjamin this summer.
Mike Wallace
Wallace is 32 and has been with five teams. His last stop was in Philadelphia in 2018, where he broke his leg in Week 2 and did not play the remainder of the season. Wallace last mad noise in the NFL in 2017 when he grabbed 72 passes for 1,017 yards for the Ravens. Again, not on a roster for a reason.
