Golden Tate

New York Giants should seriously consider signing Michael Crabtree

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New York Giants should look into Michael Crabtree.

The New York Giants are swirling down a black hole at the wide receiver position. First, Sterling Shepard fractured the tip of his thumb, then Corey Coleman tore his ACL, Brittan Golden injured his groin, and now Golden Tate could be suspended for the first four games of the season.

While all these negatives surely cast a dark cloud over the unit, Shepard is expected to be healthy for week one, and Tate has a strong case to reverse the suspension (read more here).

However, the Giants still need to look into bringing in more talent at the position, as filling it with undrafted free agents or unproven pass-catchers will not help Eli Manning and the offense succeed. This is why looking into Michael Crabtree could be a stellar idea.

What would Micheal Crabtree bring to the New York Giants?

As one of the league’s top red-zone targets (28 TDs over the last four seasons), Crabtree could bring another element to the team. He’s a fierce player that doesn’t back down from a challenge and has the veteran leadership to help build a cohesive unit that’s falling apart at the seams.

One of the best traits Crabtree has is his health. He has missed just 18 of 141 games in his career, and that is something the Giants have struggled with in recent seasons. He has the ability to handle a No. 1 receiver workload in the case Shepard or Tate find themselves on the sidelines knock on wood. He has recorded over 50 receptions in his last five seasons and is just two years removed from a 1,000-yard campaign.

 

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While he might cost $3-4 million on a one-year deal, the Giants need to sure up the WR unit or they could find themselves in big trouble come the regular season. Saquon Barkley can only handle so much of the load, and compromising his health is something head coach Pat Shurmur needs to be cautious of.

 

New York Giants: Predicting Which Units Will Be The Most Impactful On Offense

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The New York Giants’ offense has been revamped in the 2019 offseason. The Giants rebuilt their offensive line and moved on from superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

But the Giants have plenty of talent across their offense. Despite a potential quarterback controversy, there is plenty to be excited about on New York’s offense. 

Big Blue should see an instant impact from every position group on offense. But which positions will be the most impactful?

1. Running Back

Saquon Barkley is the best running back in the NFL. “Saquads” proved to be an absolutely dominant force in his rookie season.

2018’s AP Offensive Rookie Of The Year displayed his ability to make plays as a runner and a receiver. Saquon broke a rookie running back record with 91 receptions in 2018. In addition, Barkley lead the NFL in scrimmage yards with 2,028.

Saquon’s production should increase in 2019 as the lone leader of the Giants’ offense. The subtraction of Odell Beckham should lead to even more big plays for Saquon Barkley.

2. Offensive Line

The Giants’ offensive line has undergone an expensive reconstruction the past two years. This should make it one of the team’s most impactful positional groups.

Newly acquired right guard Kevin Zeitler will make an instant impact as he was the NFL’s best pass-blocking guard in 2018 according to Pro Football Focus.

Additionally, year two in the Giants’ offense should lead to a big season from the Giants’ left side duo. Nate Solder and Will Hernandez had a solid but inconsistent 2018 season. Expect to see them gain some more consistency this season.

3. Wide Receiver

Despite losing their best player at this position, the Giants still have one of the better wide receiver corps in the NFL. In response to Beckham’s departure, New York brought in veteran receiver Golden Tate.

Tate is an elite playmaker after the catch. He forced 22 missed tackles in 2017 and 23 missed tackles in 2018. Additionally, over the past ten years, Golden Tate has ranked 4th in the NFL in yards after the catch per reception with an average of 7.9 yards.

Opposite of Golden Tate is Sterling Shepard. Shep has been a solid player for the Giants in his first three seasons. Sterling’s yardage totals have increased every year and that trend should continue in 2019 thanks to a more prominent role with Odell’s absence.

Sterling suffered a fractured thumb during the first practice of training camp. Fortunately, Pat Shurmur does not seem too concerned, and it looks like Shepard will be able to play week one.

Tate and Shepard will make an extra impact in the run game. Both receivers are solid, tough blockers who will help Saquon Barkley break off even more big runs on the outside.

4. Tight End

Evan Engram’s position would be higher on this list if he did not have an injury history. Evan Engram is one of the most versatile and explosive tight ends in the league. Unfortunately, injuries have held Engram back from propelling his way to the top of the league.

When Evan Engram is on the field, he is a true playmaker. Especially when Odell Beckham jr is off the field. In 2018, Evan Engram saw a significant statistical boost once Beckham went down with an injury.

Engram averaged only 36.7 yards per game prior to Beckham’s injury. After Odell went down, Evan’s average jumped all the way to 80 yards per game. A full sixteen game season without Odell should serve Evan well.

5. Quarterback

The final position on this list is one shrouded in controversy. Eli Manning is back for his sixteenth season in the NFL, despite a regression in play the last few years. 

The Giants’ offense has shifted towards a run-first attack, which will take a lot of pressure and impact off of the quarterback’s shoulders. Eli Manning should show improvement this season with an upgraded offensive line, but he is at the end of the back nine and it is unclear just how much Manning still has left in the tank.

Eli posted a career-high completion percentage in 2018 with 66%. But the rest of his statistics were not highly impactful. Manning threw for a respectable 4,299 yards, but only 21 touchdown passes. The Giants will need Eli to score a higher volume of touchdowns in order to be a competitive team in 2019.

The Giants’ offense gives fans a lot to be excited about in 2019. If the team can stay healthy and play up to their full potential, the Giants’ offense could surprise a lot of people.

New York Giants: Golden Tate reveals why he could be suspended

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

The frequent reason NFL players are suspended boils down to pain management. Most smoke marijuana which is a substance banned by the league. However, that doesn’t stop players from participating. In the case of New York Giants receiver Golden Tate, his story is a bit different.

Adam Schefter reported that Tate could miss four games due to violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. Most use PEDs to improve their game, but this was not the case.

Here is Tate’s statement after the publicizing of the case:

Tate is just trying to have a child with his wife…and it so happens that one of the ingredients used in the supplements is banned by the NFL. While this is a very innocent explanation for why he failed the drug test, he made the Giants front office aware of the situation and they elected to sign him anyway, which is why Schefter also reported that he has a strong case to overturn the suspension.

The New York Giants are hurting:

After Sterling Shepard fractured the top of his thumb, Corey Coleman tore his ACL, Brittan Golden injured his groin, and now Tate is facing a suspension. Worst case scenario, the Giants play week one against Dallas with Cody Latimer as their No. 1 option at wideout.

It’s expected that Sterling Shepard will return to full health prior to the start of the regular season, though.

Moving forward, I expect the Giants to bring in a few new faces to compete at the position. While I doubt we see any familiar faces or veteran players, there is some talent to be extracted from the free-agent market.

New York Giants: 3 wide receivers to replace Corey Coleman

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New York Giants to bring Kelvin Benjamin in for a workout.

With New York Giants reserve receiver Corey Coleman going down with a torn ACL, general manager Dave Gettleman must bring in more competition to compete for the No. 3 spot. There are several quality pass catchers that can come in and make an impact, potentially even more-so than Coleman in 2019.

However, Corey was going into his second year in head coach Pat Shurmur’s system and had the knowledge of the playbook to finally be influential. Hopefully, the Giants can bring a smart receiver in that can pick up the playbook quickly.

Here are 3 wide receivers the New York Giants should look at:

1.) Kelvin Benjamin

A big body that has had very productive seasons in the past, Benjamin could be a solid player to join the offense. He was drafted by Gettleman in 2014, and the familiarity could make him a good fit. There have been locker room concerns from the 28-year-old in the past, but if he joins a group where he isn’t expected to be the top options, he can sit back and quietly make plays.

The Giants will bring him in for a workout on Saturday to try and add more talent to the unit.

2.) Michael Crabtree

One of the NFL’s best red-zone receivers, Crabtree could be a stellar pickup for the Giants and Eli Manning. He has solid hands and has a competitive spirit. As one of the healthiest receivers in the league over the last 10 years (missed 18 of 141 total games), he would provide consistency in that category.

Additionally, he can handle a big load if necessary, recording over 50 receptions over the last five seasons. He’s just two years removed from a 1,000-yard season. Crabtree might be a bit more pricey than the other options, though.

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3.) Pierre Garcon

While Garcon has missed eight games each in the past two seasons due to knee surgeries, he still managed to haul in 64 passes for 786 yards and one score. Prior to going down in 2017, he racked up 79 completions for 1,041 yards and three touchdowns. His veteran leadership and experience would be great for the offense and players like Darius Slayton.

In a reserve role, he could be a great option, but over usage has hurt him in the past. A veteran deal for a trustworthy player isn’t a bad idea.

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 News, 7/19 – Who will benefit the most from OBJ departure?

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New York Giants, Evan Engram

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The moment general manager Dave Gettleman traded Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, one specific name popped up into my head — Evan Engram.

You might be wondering, why on earth were you not in a rage like the rest of us, Alex? I was, but I also realized how many other players were going to see an uptick in targets and production in 2019.

Not only Engram but Sterling Shepard too. The Giants’ tight end saw his total yardage per game doubly from about 40 to 80 when Beckham was off the field last season for the final few games of the regular season. In fact, it’s quite eye-opening how much Eli Manning relied on Beckham to carry the offense.

Manning would oftentimes stop at his first progression without even considering standing in the pocket because of OBJ’s influence. How many times did we see Eli heave throws into triple coverage praying Odell would come down with it while two players were wide open in the flat.

I remember one specific moment against the Carolina Panthers where Eli threw a ball deep downfield into triple coverage while Saquon Barkley was standing in the flat with nobody within 20-yards of him. I’m sure you remember this too. However, I’m not here to talk about OBJ, but rather the players that will benefit from his departure.

If Engram can remain healthy in 2019, he could have a stellar season with increased targets. Shepard as well, considering he’s now the No. 1 option on the team if you put Tate in the No. 2 spot.

Nonetheless–

Your top Giants news of the day!

Chris Pflum (Big Blue View) – Which Giants could have breakout seasons?

Paul Schwartz (New York Post) – Giants’ real camp QB battle is behind Eli Manning and Daniel Jones

Dan Salomone, John Schmeelk, Lance Medow (Giants.com) – 30 questions in 30 days: Shepard-Tate tandem
Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: 2 scenarios where Daniel Jones starts in 2019
John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Lorenzo Carter added muscle, hopes to play faster in 2019

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Check out yesterday’s news!

New York Giants News, 7/18 – Baker Mayfield has no idea

New York Giants: Just How Good Is Golden Tate After The Catch?

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The New York Giants‘ offense has undergone some serious changes in the 2019 NFL offseason. New York traded away arguably their best player, superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

This left a major hole in the Giants’ receiving corps. Big Blue attempted to plug that hole with the signing of veteran receiver Golden Tate. The Giants signed the former Philadelphia Eagle to a four-year deal, despite the fact that he is 30 years old.

The length and price of this contract created controversy amongst some Giants fans. However, Tate is fully deserving of this contract. His consistency and elite playmaking ability after-the-catch will make his contract worth it.

Golden Tate Stats And Highlights After The Catch

Golden Tate is a great route runner with sound hands but he does his best work after he has already secured the reception. Tate is a tackle-breaking machine.

In 2017 and 2018 both, Golden Tate forced the most missed tackles after the catch out of all receivers in the NFL. He forced 22 missed tackles in 2017 and 23 missed tackles in 2018. Golden Tate has consistently been the best in the league at making plays after the catch over the past 6 seasons. The Giants’ offense will benefit greatly from this (Pro Football Focus).

Golden Tate not only breaks tons of tackles after the catch, but he also picks up tons of yardage. Over the past ten years, Golden Tate has ranked 4th in the NFL in yards after the catch per reception with an average of 7.9 yards.

According to Pro Football Focus, among all 165 receivers to see at least 100 targets since 2012, Tate ranks first in missed tackles forced per reception and third (behind only Tyrell Williams and Josh Gordon) in yards after the catch per reception.

Golden Tate has been a consistent killer after the catch for years now and there is no reason to believe that will change as a member of the Giants in 2019. The New York Giants’ offense will benefit tremendously from Golden Tate’s elite tackle-breaking ability for the next four seasons.

New York Giants new receiver says Eli Manning’s “got a lot of juice left”

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

The New York Giants will journey forward without star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019, and to be quite frank, his departure might help veteran quarterback Eli Manning spread the ball around the field more efficiently. That’s not to say Beckham didn’t influence Manning’s stats exponentially and mask his deficiencies.

However, with a new co-top receiver in Golden Tate, Eli will need to adapt to his style of play and timing running routes. The newly acquired pass-catcher is excited to begin working with the 15-year veteran, stating (NFL.com):

“What I can I see, Eli Manning‘s got a lot of juice left,” Tate told NFL Network’s Scott Hanson on Total Access on Thursday. “He’s still got some zip on his passes.

“I’ve been impressed. I think we have a really good problem. We’ve got a Hall of Fame-type of quarterback in my mind and we also drafted a guy, a young guy, so we don’t need Daniel to come in and save the day. We just need Daniel to stay on pace, learn as much as he possibly can in a great environment and just take it day by day. We don’t need him to come in tomorrow and win a game. We just need him to stay on pace. I think that’s good news in my mind.”

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What does Golden Tate bring to the New York Giants?

Tate, who’s known for his ability to pick up yards after the catch, will be a fantastic security blanket for Manning when the pocket collapses. He’s a solid route runner with extremely dependable hands. Similar to Sterling Shepard, Tate can play in the slot and outside the boundaries.

Having both diverse receivers will open up the playbook for head coach Pat Shurmur and will give Manning more options. Last season, Tate was heavily misused with the Philadelphia Eagles, something that will change with the Giants. In more games with Philly, he racked up half of the number of yards he earned while with Detroit for the first half of the season.

Getting Tate into space is where he shines, and I imagine Shurmur prioritizing that fact.

New York Giants News, 7/13 – Where does the offense rank in fire power?

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The Giants trading away superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr. should have hurt their offensive firepower ranking, but it seems as if it has actually bolstered their number.

According to ESPN:

8. New York Giants

2018 rank: No. 2 | 2017: No. 20

“It’s strangely impressive that the Giants managed to be so uninspiring on offense a year ago with one of the best arsenals in football. Obviously, trading away Odell Beckham Jr. is going to make any team’s weaponry worse, but the Giants at least have a short-term solution in Golden Tate, who should help soften the blow of willingly trading away a franchise wideout for … reasons. Both Tate and Sterling Shepard rank in the top eight for receiving yards out of the slot over the past three years, so Pat Shurmur will need to find a way to get both of his starting wideouts time on the inside.”

“The Giants are the first team on this list to rate out as above-average at running back, wide receiver and tight end, though other teams (notably the Packers and Steelers) come close. Evan Engram struggled to stay healthy last season but averaged 9.0 yards per target, which was just ahead of guys like Travis Kelce and Jared Cook. And though Saquon Barkley’s rookie season was less impressive under a microscope, it’s fair to say that the offense was almost entirely dependent upon Barkley for stretches in 2018. With a better offensive line, Barkley could be the most productive back in football in 2019.”

Having Saquon Barkley will help the offense succeed no matter the consequences of losing Beckham. Gaining Tate will also supplement his production to a certain degree.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day!

John Fennelly (GMEN HQ) – New York Giants in line for two compensatory draft picks in 2020

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ 90-man roster: Nate Solder solid, unspectacular at left tackle

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Drew Brees thanks Saquon Barkley for setting good example for children

Pat Leonard (New York Daily News) – Giants 2018 film review, week 3: What we learned from Big Blue’s best game of the year

Anthony Rivardo (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: Which position suits Julian Love best
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New York Giants: Golden Tate Doesn’t Think The Giants Have A Problem At QB

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New York Giants rookie quarterback, Daniel Jones.

Quarterback is a controversial position for the New York Giants right now – Eli Manning is coming into the season as the starter but after the team took Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick in the draft this year, many fans expect the team to get some value out of their pick early on rather than letting Jones sit on the bench for years before moving on from their current starter.

It’s led to quite a bit of back and forth, with different fans and different members of the media having varying ideas about how soon is too soon to replace Eli Manning and insert a new and unproven quarterback into the mix. Some have said that the team will probably start Jones as soon as the second half of this season, while others think the team would be smart to wait two or even three years before moving on to their new quarterback.

But according to newly signed wide receiver Golden Tate, the Giants aren’t in a bad spot right now.

“I’ve been impressed. I think we have a really good problem,” Tate said on NFL Total Access, after claiming that Eli Manning has a lot left in the tank. “We’ve got a Hall of Fame-type of quarterback in my mind and we also drafted a guy, a young guy, so we don’t need Daniel to come in and save the day. We just need Daniel to stay on pace, learn as much as he possibly can in a great environment and just take it day by day. We don’t need him to come in tomorrow and win a game. We just need him to stay on pace.”

That’s only the truth if the Giants do go ahead with their plan to keep Jones on the bench initially, and don’t rush him into playing during the regular season. It looks, however, like that’s the way things are going to go – But based on how last season went and how there were plenty of calls for Kyle Lauletta to be given a shot when Eli Manning performed poorly, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the fans to demand Jones this season, maybe shaking up the team’s plans.

After all, Jones is a more hyped prospect than Lauletta ever was, and there’s no guarantee that Eli Manning will have a bounce back year following poor performances in 2018. Although, a revamped offensive line looks like it will make things somewhat easier on the quarterback.

“What I can I see, Eli Manning’s got a lot of juice left. He’s still got some zip on his passes,” Tate said about Manning. While preseason predictions tend to trend optimistic and aren’t always representative of how the season will go, Manning has gotten enough praise this offseason that it’s still somewhat reasonable for the Giants to give him the benefit of the doubt going into this year.

One can hope that in 2019, Manning can hold on to the job and improve from last season, allowing the Giants to comfortably keep their rookie quarterback on the bench and focus on what Golden Tate spoke about: keeping Daniel Jones on pace rather than expecting him to win games.