When the New York Giants signed Kenny Golladay to be their top receiver headed into 2021, it changed the roles for the other receivers on the team.
The Giants took it one step further and really loaded up the weapons for Daniel Jones when they went on to select Kadarius Toney in the 2021 NFL draft.
One player directly impacted by the additions is Sterling Shepard, who will likely see more time in the slot than he has seen since the Giants parted ways with Odell Beckham Jr.
“I think I’ll be bouncing around a lot of different positions, kind of like I did at the end of the season last year,” Shepard told reporters on Tuesday. “I love the slot. It’s where I’m super comfortable. I just like the space you have to be able to go all the way across the field, come back out, do the short intermediate routes to try and run in. But also, I can go outside as well. There’s some things that I love to do outside, as well. I’m looking forward to just bouncing around and being wherever the coaches see me fitting best.”
With Saquon Barkley set to return at some point early in 2021 (if not Week 1) and the addition of Golladay, some of the other weapons for Jones may fly under-the-radar and be extremely effective for the Giants’ offense.
“Just drawing more attention. The more guys that we have helping make plays and making big things happen, the defense is going to have to pay attention to them,” Shepard said. “It frees guys up and hopefully we can do the same for them, draw some attention and free those guys up. Playmakers are what we need and that’s what I think we’ve addressed over the offseason.”
With many expecting the Giants offense to breakout behind Jones this season, it will be important for Shepard to remain a leader on the offensive side of the ball. Shepard is a veteran and the only one on the Giants roster who remains for the 2016 Giants team that went to the playoffs.
