Jason Leach
The New York Giants spent this week adding three veteran wide receivers to their roster in Braxton Berrios, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and fan favorite Odell Beckham Jr.
Berrios role will be as a returner after the team lost Gunner Olszewski for the season with a torn Achilles. New York is hoping that the 33-year-old Beckham and the 29-year-old Smith-Schuster have enough juice left in their tanks for one more productive season.
The three signings this week illustrate three facts that we know about the team’s receivers room as their offseason workouts ramp up.
Growing concerns about Malik Nabers’ availability to start the season
Once it was revealed that Malik Nabers had a second surgery on his knee, some people panicked about the possibility that he might not be ready to play in Week 1. Those concerns grew even further when they saw Nabers struggle to run to first base during Brian Burns celebrity softball game on Saturday.
New York’s top priority for their star receiver is to get him on the field when he’s 100 percent, which could be after the first month of the season. As of right now, it seems just as likely that Nabers could start the year on the PUP list as opposed to suiting up Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. The signing of the three wideouts seems to indicate this.
John Harbaugh was not happy with wide receiver room he inherited
Since being named head coach, John Harbaugh has emphasized upgrading the receiver room. In free agency they signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, then they traded up into the third round to take Malachi Fields in the third round (74th overall).
He won’t say this publicly, but it’s obvious the 63-year-old head coach was not thrilled with the wideouts he inherited. Veterans such as Darius Slayton, who has been with the team since 2019, will need to have an impressive summer if they’re going to earn a roster spot.
WR position battle will be the most intriguing in training camp
Currently, New York has 14 receivers on the roster, and it’s possible they could add more before the team reports to training camp next month. With the uncertainty surrounding Nabers’ health, Big Blue may enter the season without a true number-one option.
This is why the wideout position battle will be the most intriguing and intense battle of training camp. The team will keep either six or seven on their final roster, and the only locks to make the team are Nabers, Mooney, Austin III, and Fields.
Not only will the other players need to excel as pass catchers in training camp and the preseason, but they also need to show they can contribute on special teams when their names are called.
