Cody Latimer

New York Giants: Corey Coleman tears ACL in first training camp practice

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New York Giants, Corey Coleman

Prior to New York Giants No. 1 receiver Sterling Shepard fracturing his thumb midway through the first training camp practice, it was thought that Corey Coleman and Cody Latimer were battling it out for the No. 3 spot on the team.

However, it has been revealed that Coleman tore his ACL as well, sending two promising pass catchers for the Giants to the sidelines. Sterling will likely return before the start of the regular season but Coleman will miss the entire 2019 season.

After making comments of breaking out, head coach Pat Shurmur must be disappointed:

“We are going to see the best of [Coleman],” head coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s the first one to tell you when he came in the league, he had a lot to learn. Now he’s got an opportunity to maybe be a front-line player.”

This injury dampens the mood for a receiving corps that’s extremely thin behind Shepard and Golden Tate. They do have Latimer still available, but it seems rookie Darius Slayton may get more reps after the injury to Corey.

On the bright side, Shepard will not require surgery and will be watched on a week-by-week basis. Unfortunately for both pass catchers, but the better of the two will be okay, so it seems.

New York Giants could cut either Corey Coleman or Cody Latimer

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New York Giants wide receiver, Cody Latimer.

The New York Giants are heading in training camp with a surplus of talent behind the top wide receivers on the team, the question ultimately boils down to — who will earn the starting job?

It seems as if the No. 3 WR spot will be allocated to either Corey Coleman or Cody Latimer, but I don’t see both staying on the roster after the position battle comes to a close. With more than enough pass-catchers after drafting Darius Slayton, one of the two will likely be cut.

Coleman, a talented former first-round pick was confident he can take his game to the next level with the Giants in 2019, the issue is he must compete with Latimer for the starting role. The former Bronco has the advantage given his production before succumbing to injury in 2018 and the plays he’s made to back up his case.

Coleman only secured five targets for 71 yards last season, so he’s far from a proven pass-catcher with Eli Manning at the helm. The general worry when it comes to Corey is his catch-rate, securing 45.2 percent in his rookie season, his best to date. With only five receptions last year, it’s not worth factoring that number into his statistics.

He must elevate his game to stick around in 2019, but the odds are unfortunately stacked against him. The Giants, however, seem to be confident that he can be a playmaker. The value he offers was cut by a fraction when the Giants brought in Jabrill Peppers in the trade that sent Odell Beeckham Jr. to Cleveland.

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Peppers will likely be the primary return man, forcing Coleman to really come into himself as a receiver. Latimer, though, faces a challenge as well. He will need to prove he’s 100% healthy after going down with a foot ailment in 2018. So far, he’s looked good in limited reps, connecting with Daniel Jones multiple times in the end zone.

At this point, I see Latimer holding on to the starting gig, and while it’s not a guarantee the Giants cut Coleman, it makes logical sense to do so.

New York Giants: Three Potential Veteran Cut Candidates

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Training camp officially begins for the New York Giants on July 25th. The Giants will begin to put together their final roster as players will compete for positions.

Last offseason, many surprise cuts were made, such as fan-favorite cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The Giants are bound to surprise again this offseason. With multiple positions open for competition, a few veterans will be cut. Here are three likely cut candidates for the 2019 NFL offseason:

Kyle Lauletta:

While Kyle Lauletta might not technically be a “veteran,” he is still a serious potential cut candidate. The Giants have four quarterbacks on their roster currently, and it is hard to believe they will keep more than three. Kyle Lauletta is not likely to be one of the three.

The Giants’ starting quarterback is still Eli Manning. Behind him is the heir apparent rookie Daniel Jones. Then, finally, we have the positional battle between Alex Tanney and Kyle Lauletta. Unfortunately for Lauletta, Tanney is the more likely quarterback for the Giants to keep.

Lauletta was drafted by the team in the 4th round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a dark horse to become the Giants’ next franchise quarterback but failed to live up to the hype during his limited playing time in 2018. The Giants have always been fond of veteran leadership from the backup quarterback position, and Alex Tanney provides just that.

Tanney might not have a bright future or an impressive career stat line but does provide veteran leadership. Alex Tanney earned himself a contract extension with the Giants and it is unlikely that they would have extended him if they did not plan on keeping him through the summer. So, unfortunately, that means that the sophomore Kyle Lauletta will likely be moved out of New York.

Cody Latimer:

Cody Latimer missed 10 games last season due to injury. The receiver flashed strong potential when he was on the field, but he was rarely ever able to suit up. The Giants’ receiving corps has its two primary receivers set, but there seems to be a positional battle brewing for the third receiver position.

Cody Latimer is likely the Giants’ leading candidate to win this position, however, he has some serious competition. Corey Coleman is a young, speedy receiver that the Giants picked up last season. Coleman is a former 1st-round pick who never reached his potential, but it is not too late for him to evolve into a solid receiving threat.

If Corey Coleman can take a leap and show major improvements during 2019’s training camp, then Cody Latimer’s value on this team takes a significant hit. Additionally, the Giants can save a little over $1,000,000 in cap space by cutting Latimer. If the Giants get pressed for cap space, Cody Latimer could be another cap casualty.

Janoris Jenkins:

This is the least likely of the three cut candidates, however, it is a possible surprise. The Giants drafted three cornerbacks in the 2019 NFL Draft (four if you count Sam Beal). Janoris Jenkins is currently being pegged into a veteran-teacher role, but that could change.

Julian Love, DeAndre Baker, Sam Beal, and Corey Ballentine are all talented young cornerbacks who could take Janoris Jenkins’s spot if the Giants feel the need to save some cap space. Janoris Jenkins had a down year in 2018 and has a huge contract to live up to.

Janoris Jenkins has a cap hit of $14,750,000 in 2019. New York can free up $7,750,000 if they cut him this year. He would also account for only $3,500,000 in dead cap space next year if they decide to cut him.

Being that Janoris is 30 years old, it would not be too outlandish for the Giants to move on from the aging vet. If New York decides that they need to free up cap space, Janoris Jenkins might become a cap casualty.

New York Giants: How does Cody Latimer fit into the offensive?

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

One of the more forgotten about New York Giants receivers, Cody Latimer, is hoping to not only break out of an injury funk but to also emerge as an impactful contributor during the 2019 season.

The Giants signed the former Denver Broncos second-round pick in 2018 to a one-year deal, but he only managed to feature in six games. During that stretch, however, he displayed enough quality and production to prove his worth and earn another prove-it year style contract.

Earning 190 yards and a touchdown in his lone season with the Giants, Latimer has the potential to be a solid pass-catcher veteran quarterback Eli Manning post-Odell Beckham Jr.

What does Cody Latimer bring to the New York Giants?

While only spending a small portion of 2018 on the field, he put on a show with his speed, averaging 11.0 receiving yards per target, easily the highest of his five-year career. He also averaged 17.3 yards per scrimmage touch, an impressive number that will likely hover around that range with Big Blue.

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Having both Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate as possession receivers, it’s expected that Latimer will play primarily as a deep-ball option. Additionally, he will have to fend of Corey Coleman for the No. 3 receiver spot — the final starting slot. Rookie Darius Slayton, who has emerged as a rising star during camp, could steal reps away given his elite speed and quick development since his tough inception with the Giants.

His 4.4 speed might scream deep-ball, but Latimer has good hands (68.8%) catch rate and can act as a red-zone option at 6-foot-2. The veteran seemed to already be developing chemistry with rookie passer Daniel Jones this spring, making him a better option and a potential keeper if Manning is replaced in 2020.

Latimer is an interesting player and one to keep an eye on. If he remains healthy he can play an important role on the offense.

New York Giants: Shepard And Latimer Ready To Take Over Without Beckham

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

Wide receivers could be a make or break position for the New York Giants this year, as the team attempts to bounce back from the disaster of a 2018 season with a very different looking roster. Some of the biggest changes are at the position of wide receiver, where they moved on from star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. There’s various players stepping up to fill the missing role of Beckham, and the Giants could either be a deeper team at receiver or they could suffer from poor performances.

It all depends on how a few players manage to do, and whether or not they live up to the expectations set for them.

“I feel like last season with Odell going out for those last [four] games kind of prepared me for what I was going to get into. The season before that as well with him going down with an ankle injury. I feel like it prepared me for this moment,” Sterling Shepard, who received a large contract extension soon after the Beckham trade, told the New York Post.

Shepard will have a larger role than he’s ever had before with the Giants, after signing a deal that’s worth $41M and four years. The deal, however, also comes with larger expectations that Shepard has ever had – and may force him to perform with more passes coming his way than before, as his role shifts from that of a clear number two receiver.

Shepard isn’t the only player the Giants are counting on, though. Cody Latimer has the potential to have a breakout year after getting healthy, and looks confident going into this season, claiming the team can be dominant at the position.

“Anybody can get the ball. You’re open, you don’t get it, that means somebody else is getting it and you’re hoping they make a play. We got an unselfish room in there. We don’t really care or actually don’t talk about it at all, who’s getting the ball,” Latimer stated. “It’s a group effort. The group can be dominant, period.”

Is Latimer right? That will depend on a number of factors, including play at both receiver and quarterback. The Giants do have the pieces to be one of the better offenses in the division, but as seen last season, putting together a new group of players in the starting lineup for the first time doesn’t always have the intended effect. When the preseason comes around in a couple of months, we’ll get a first look at just how well this group should mesh together on the field.

New York Giants: How Darius Slayton will make an impact in 2019

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New York Giants, Darius Slayton

The New York Giants drafted wide receiver Darius Slayton in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and his qualities match up perfectly with what head coach Pat Shurmur wants to do.

Having elite speed is only one facet of becoming a quality pass-catcher in the NFL. Slayton, who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, brings that with him from Auburn. His quickness off the line of scrimmage and ability to break out into the open field is deadly, and something the Giants will look to utilize early and often in his young career.

The New York Giants are getting a glimpse of what Slayton can do:

To start the offseason, Slayton looked as if the Giants plucked him off a high school field — dropping every ball thrown his way and looking like a bigger mistake than positive influence. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the top rookies of the summer for Big Blue, earning first-team reps with teammate, CJ Conrad. The two rookies were the only players to earn reps with the starting team, an indication of their quality and progression so far.

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The reality is, Slayton will likely play a specific role in 2019 — I imagine as a wide-receiver screen and deep ball specialist. His speed gives him the ability to beat corners deep while Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard draw attention from the top corners on the opposing defense.

I would like to see Shurmur utilize Tate and Shep as blockers on the outside in a trips formation, throwing the ball to Slayton to see if he can break through into the secondary. It will be interesting to see how the Giants get him on the field and in what capacity.

He will ultimately be fighting off Corey Coleman and Cody Latimer for playing time this year, but he’s more than capable of stealing some reps away from the veterans.

New York Giants could cut veteran wide receiver this offseason

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

As we head towards training camp for the New York Giants, specific position battles will begin to take shape that will result in several surprising cuts.

Units such as the tight end group and wide receivers have tons of value and depth that will be weeded out over the course of the next few weeks. The pass-catchers are the most interesting of the bunch, as the Giants have Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard firmly planted in the No. 1 and 2 roles.

Behind the two starters, it’s a race for the No. 3 job, where things could get interesting and players could be cut. With Corey Coleman making a comeback and planning to be more influential going into his fourth NFL season, it presents a legitimate issue for Cody Latimer.

What does Cody Latimer offer the New York Giants?

Latimer, a straight-away speed type of player, could be on the chopping block given his injury in 2018 and lack of production in the Giants offense. If Coleman proves he’s a more capable option — he’s a better route runner, it could leave the Giants and head coach Pat Shurmur no choice but to cut Latimer.

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By letting him go, the team would save $1M in cap space that could be allocated towards a position of need — defensive line or linebackers. However, Latimer has a very fair shot to make the team and earn the starting job, which could put Coleman in jeopardy.

One of the two will likely be a cut-candidate after training camp and the Giants begin to thin out the roster down to the active 53-man squad.

New York Giants: 3 surprise veteran cuts this offseason

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

As we wind down towards training camp and begin the process of cutting the roster down to 53-men for the New York Giants, it’s time to begin speculating and exercising our right to talk about things that haven’t even happened yet.

The reality is, some difficult decisions will need to be made and could be confusing, but it all comes down to value at a specific position and ensuring necessary depth is spread out across the roster. From the quarterbacks to safeties, it’s necessary to expect injuries and have backup options available just in case, especially at positions of weakness.

New York Giants: 3 veterans that could be cut

1.) WR – Cody Latimer

Latimer is coming off an injury that saw him miss a significant portion of the 2018 season. However, he flashed potential when he was on the field. With three players competing for the No. 3 spot, it’s fair to say that not all are necessarily locked into a roster spot.

If Corey Coleman proves to elevate his game and play at a high level this offseason, Latimer could be a cut candidate. His $1.4MM cap-hit this season could be saved and allocated towards another position of need. Again, this is only if he loses out to Coleman in the position battle.

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2.) QB – Kyle Lauletta

After one season of development, Lauletta is still nowhere near ready to take on a starting role in the NFL. Drafting Daniel Jones certainly doesn’t help in his case for a roster spot either.

The Giants might be better off cutting him and signing him to the practice squad for the time being. They will likely elect to keep Alex Tanney given his experience practicing at the professional level – he’s better suited to fill in if need be, and he’s looked quite good this summer.

While giving Kyle a fair chance at the job is necessary, Jones ultimately puts him in the backburners.

3.) TE – Rhett Ellison

Ellison will implement a $5.75 million cap hit this season with $2.5 million in dead cap. His skill-set is best utilized in the run game, where he can help at the line of scrimmage. The Giants upgraded their offensive line further to make his job redundant to a degree.

Additionally, they resigned Scott Simonson for a year, a capable blocker, and signed undrafted free agent CJ Conrad who has proven his worth so far this summer. He has the potential to be a solid performer and put Ellison’s job in jeopardy. Having four quality tight ends doesn’t fit the 53-man roster build whatsoever. Clearing up a roster spot here and saving some money could go a long way towards solidifying another spot on the team.

 

 

 

 

New York Giants: Cody Latimer To Compete For Third Wide Receiver Position

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

The New York Giants‘ receiving corps has been completely rebuilt in the 2019 NFL offseason. The Giants traded away their best wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., then replaced him with Golden Tate. They also extended Sterling Shepard, solidifying Shep and Tate as their primary receivers.

With those two receiver positions solidified, the Giants need to figure out their third receiver position. They have a plethora of options to choose from, including Corey Coleman, Darius Slayton, and Cody Latimer.

Coleman was picked up midseason by the Giants in 2018. He is young and unproven but has a ton of untapped potential. Slayton was selected by Big Blue in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has looked solid in camp so far, but might not be ready for a starting position.

The Giants’ third option, Cody Latimer, was with the team all of 2018. He dealt with some injuries but flashed potential when he was on the field.

Cody Latimer Stats And Highlights

Cody Latimer played in 6 games for the New York Giants in 2018. Cody dealt with injuries that kept his playing time extremely limited. Latimer suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday Night Football against the Eagles in week 6, placing him on injured reserve. However, Latimer flashed his abilities as a deep threat playmaker when he was on the field.

Latimer was targeted 16 times in 2018. He hauled in 11 of those receptions for an impressive 17.3 yards per reception. This high yards per reception number demonstrates Cody Latimer’s big play ability.

Cody Latimer had 190 yards on those 11 receptions. He also added 1 touchdown. This touchdown was an impressive one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone versus the Dallas Cowboys. Check it out:

 

This was one of several acrobatic catches that Latimer made in 2018. That catch came in week 17, ending the season on a major high note for Latimer. According to Pro Football Focus, his 93.9 overall grade against Dallas in Week 17 was the 3rd highest overall single-game grade for any WR in the 2018 regular season (min 15 snaps).

In that game, Cody totaled a season-high 72 yards. He was targeted 6 times and recorded 4 receptions, plus that incredible touchdown catch. This is what lead to his high PFF grade. Here is another one of Cody’s previously mentioned acrobatic catches:

Cody Latimer has also had a solid spring and summer. He has performed well in OTA’s and is looking to get in a strong position battle during training camp. Here is a clip of Cody Latimer and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones connecting on a touchdown during practice:

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Injuries are a major concern with Cody Latimer. However, Latimer has shown enough potential and a strong enough understanding of the Giants’ offense to be the front-runner for the third wide receiver position. If Cody Latimer can stay on the field for 16 games, he could be the playmaking outside wide receiver that the New York Giants need.

New York Giants: Top News 5/31 – Cody Latimer prepping for breakout season

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New York Giants wide receiver, Cody Latimer.

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The New York Giants will head into training camp with the top two receivers on the team solidified, however, the No. 3 spot is up for grabs.

Options like Corey Coleman, Cody Latimer, and Russell Shepard all present forms of quality in their own specific ways. Coleman is a former first-round pick with solid hands, Latimer is a speedy wideout that can get behind the defense, and Shepard is a bigger body that can bring in contested balls.

I believe that Latimer will be the player to earn the No. 3 receiver spot behind Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate. The former Bronco had his second-best season to date last year, racking up 190 yards and a score over just six games. Latimer succumbed to injury in 2018, limiting his production on the field, but with a full bill of health, he is looking to finally break out in 2019.

A 68.8% catch rate and17.3 yards-per-reception total presents optimism for the 26-year-old pass catcher. I wouldn’t necessarily rule out Coleman to earn the starting job, but I imagine Latimer is better equipped considering his resume and experience.

Head coach Pat Shurmur will surely look to utilize Latimer in the long-game as his speed is an asset that can tantalize defenses at times.

Nonetheless–

Giants top articles of the day:

John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – Giants already using Ryan Connelly tape to teach proper technique

Dan Schneier (247 Sports) – The 10 New York Giants players most likely to break out in 2019

Paul Schwartz (NY Post) – Antoine Bethea is perfect for Giants’ defensive overhaul

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ 90-man roster: Eric Dungey trying to make transition to hybrid role

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: What Kevin Zeitler can do for the offensive line

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