Golden Tate

New York Giants: Another Unfortunate Setback For Golden Tate

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

It hasn’t been a very good last few months for Golden Tate. The New York Giants receiver was suspended for four games thanks to taking a drug prescribed at a fertility clinic, one that according to Tate, was given a misleading description by the doctor, and lost his appeal to overturn the suspension. Not only will Tate miss the first four games of the season, though, but he’ll also miss time in training camp.

That’s because of something more recent and entirely unrelated – being placed in concussion protocol after suffering from a concussion against the Chicago Bears, in the second game of the preseason.

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News guessed that the concussion happened while run blocking for Paul Perkins in the second quarter, however Tate did not exit the game immediately after the incident.

There’s currently no more information on how bad the concussion is, and it’s unknown how much time Tate will miss with it. However, with the team in their third week of training camp, it looks like Tate could miss valuable camp time before his four game suspension begins at the start of the regular season and he’s kept out of game action until week five.

How will Tate play upon his return, after going through an offseason that up to this point has been filled with problems? That remains to be seen, especially as Tate will miss some training camp time that could have been spent learning the Giants offense further thanks to this latest concussion.

The hope, however, is that all of this will soon be a memory in the past as Tate joins Sterling Shepard in the starting lineup, and that the four game suspension and other problems will become an afterthought once the season is going. Will that end up being the case? Only time can tell.

The New York Giants need to give WR TJ Jones a fighting chance

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T.J. Jones, New York Giants

With the New York Giants losing Golden Tate for the first four games of the regular season due to a violation against the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, several other past catchers will earn the opportunity to fight for a roster spot.

Tate is an automatic starter, but behind him and Sterling Shepard, the competition is wide open. Receivers such as Cody Latimer, TJ Jones, Brittan Golden, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, and Alonzo Russell are all fighting for a starting spot.

At this point, Latimer seems to be in the lead for the number three spot on the wide receiver corps, but Jones is making a significant impact.

Better receivers have kept Jones in the shadows over the last few seasons. The emergence of Kenny Golladay with the Detroit Lions pushed Jones down the depth chart, but he has plenty of talent and effectiveness to offer another team. The Giants will need his services this year after injuries to Corey Coleman and a suspension to Golden Tate.

What are the New York Giants getting in TJ Jones?

Last season, TJ played in 15 games hauling in 19 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He had a catch rate of 73.1%, which attests to his trustworthy hands. For the Giants this preseason, he has looked sharp. In the first preseason game against the New York Jets, he led the Giants in both receptions (6) and yards (72) and caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Lauletta on the back shoulder.

His decisiveness and dynamic play style make him a threat as a wide-out and in the slot. The Giants can move him all around the offense and utilize him in different ways to keep the defense honest.

Jones seems to have a chip on his shoulder and sees the opportunity with this struggling wide receiver group. He has left his mark thus far and will earn another chance against the Chicago Bears on Friday night to prove that he can be an impact player during the regular season.

“We signed him because we liked him,” Shurmur said. “We felt like he was a guy that could come in, compete, and make our team, regardless of who we had on the roster. It was more of replacing Corey at that time. When you have a player that’s going to miss a month, then it kind of elevates the guys behind him. One of those guys may be a guy that’s here for a month until Golden gets back.”

New York Giants: Golden Tate Could Take Action Against Doctor After Suspension

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

It’s safe to say that New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate isn’t happy with at least one of his doctors – Tate was suspended for four games due to violating the league’s substance policy, but as it turns out, the suspension wasn’t because of a usual PED but because of something that was prescribed to Tate from a fertility clinic. According to Tate, he was misled in the status of the drug and whether or not it would result in trouble from the league.

“I think ultimately because the doctor had said no, it’s not a banned substance and I have prescribed it to other NFL guys,” Tate said on Wednesday, after being asked about not consulting the league before taking the substance. “If the doctor says I’m not sure, I would have 100 percent looked into it. If the doctor never said he had given it to other NFL players, I 1,000 percent would have looked into it.”

The mistake is going to cost Tate over a million in salary this season thanks to the four games that will be missed with suspension. As such, it definitely seems within Tate’s rights to be upset with the doctor – even if it was also Tate’s mistake for not looking further into the drug before taking it.

“We are definitely looking into [taking action against the doctor], we are kind of examining all of our options. his all came out a few days ago, so I’m still trying to get through camp, trying my best to focus and continue to be a leader for this organization, and practice hard,” Tate continued.

Tate can play in the preseason and has been a participant in training camp but won’t be able to play during the regular season until week five. That game will be against the Vikings, but it won’t help the Giants to lose Tate for not one but two division matchups in the opening four weeks of the season, one of them in the opener against Dallas and the other in week four against Washington.

However, despite the frustration with his doctor, Tate did admit responsibility for causing the problem. “I’m responsible for what’s put into my body, ultimately. The tough thing I am dealing with is I’m letting down a lot of people. My family, the guys in the locker room, the people in the organization that brought me here. That’s kind of what’s been crushing me with this whole situation.”

We’ll see how Tate rebounds from this situation in week five when he can return, against the Minnesota Vikings. It will certainly be a boost for the team when that happens, but there’s no telling just what their record will be like at that point after four games with an unproven roster.

New York Giants: Options To Fill In For Golden Tate Weeks 1-4

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T.J. Jones, New York Giants

The New York Giants have had a rocky training camp at the wide receiver position. They have seen multiple receivers go down with season-ending injuries. On top of that, New York’s primary receiver Sterling Shepard has been dealing with a broken thumb suffered on the first day of practice.

To make matters way worse, the Giants’ other primary receiver, Golden Tate, has been suspended for the first four weeks of the season. This leaves the Giants with a few question marks in their receiving corps. The Giants will need someone to step in for Golden Tate. Should the Giants promote someone in house or look to bring in someone new?

Free Agent Options

The Giants recently held a free-agent workout for receivers and did sign one. New York signed T.J. Jones, a former Detroit Lion. Jones has flashed during camp and looked like a solid option in the first preseason game. But, now that Golden Tate’s suspension is official, it could be beneficial for the Giants to hold another workout.

One receiver that the Giants should look into is Michael Crabtree. The veteran receiver has had a long NFL career and proved that he still has something left in the tank last year with the Baltimore Ravens. Crabtree caught 54 passes from rookie Lamar Jackson en route to 3 touchdowns and 607 yards.

Michael Crabtree’s age of 31 years-old would go a long way in filling in for Golden Tate. Tate is a veteran leader that will be sorely missed on the football field, so Crabtree would be a solid player to fulfill Golden’s role.

Another veteran free agent receiver the Giants could look into is Pierre Garcon. Garcon has not played much the last two years (eight games each season), but the Giants would only need him to perform in the first four weeks. Garcon has had a long and productive career and is a reliable receiver.

But Pierre Garcon is coming off of a pretty significant injury. Pierre’s 2018 season ended after undergoing knee surgery. The Giants would not be counting on him to survive sixteen games, just four. If the Giants are looking for a veteran receiver to fill in for a veteran receiver, Pierre Garcon would bring valuable reliability as a pass-catcher for Eli Manning.

Options On The Roster

The previously mentioned T.J. Jones has looked like a promising receiving option. He lead the team in receiving in the Giants’ first preseason game. He totaled 6 receptions on 6 targets for 72 yards and 1 touchdown. If push comes to shove and the Giants are unable to make any transactions at wide receiver, T.J. Jones could step in as a solid receiving option.

The Giants have another darkhorse receiving option on the roster. This player did not make as big of an impact against the Jets as Jones did, but he has been a playmaker throughout training camp. This player is Alonzo Russell.

Alonzo Russell has been Daniel Jones’s favorite target in training camp. He has shown serious potential in multiple instances. One of his best traits is his body. Russell is a tall receiver standing in at 6-feet-4-inches and weighing in at 206 pounds.

The Giants have copious options if they choose to add to their receiving corps. Golden Tate will miss the first four games of the season and it is crucial for the Giants to get off to a hot start this season with this year’s schedule.

New York Giants: Rookie receiver Darius Slayton needs to step up

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New York Giants, Darius Slayton

The New York Giants are dropping like flies at the wide receiver position. On Monday, WR Amba Etta Tawo has carted off the field with an apparent leg injury. It has since been confirmed that he tore his Achilles tendon.

Etta Tawo was a fan favorite from 2018 and was looking to make his mark on the team once more this season. With pass-catchers dropping, the Giants brought in the speedster to add depth to the unit, but even the depth is prone to the injury bug.

The Giants now have Sterling Shepard (thumb), Golden Tate (potential suspension), Cody Latimer, TJ Jones, Brittan Golden, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, Allonzo Russell, Da’Mari Scott, Alex Wesley, Reggie White Jr., and Darius Slayton.

Slayton, who was selected in the 5th round, has been nursing a hamstring injury the past few weeks, failing to feature against the New York Jets last week and missing out on essential practice time. However, he’s one of the young bright spots on the offense that offers potentials.

The Auburn product’s primary strength is his impressive speed. Entering mini-camp and OTAs, Slayton looked awful; dropping passes left and right. Once he shook off the rookie jitters, though, he became one of two players to earn first-team reps before training camp.

His most recent injury has held him back significantly.

“It stands out,’’ Giants WR coach Tyke Tolbert said. “It’s noticeable all the plays he was making throughout the spring.’’

The Giants desperately need their speedy pass-catcher on the field, especially with all of the recent injuries popping up. He will likely make his preseason debut against the Chicago Bears on Friday, allowing him to showcase his abilities against professional talent.

Expect head coach Pat Shurmur to utilize him as a wide receiver-screen target and quick slant option. Having great speed and agility off the line of scrimmage will make him deadly within 10 yards. His yards after catch will be the fun part to watch.

 

New York Giants: Golden Tate Fails To Beat PED Suspension

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

There’s been a lot of speculation about New York Giants receiver Golden Tate ever since early in training camp when it was revealed that Tate might be suspended for taking a banned substance – it seems to have been prescribed to him rather innocently, at a fertility clinic, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a banned substance nonetheless, at least in the eyes of the NFL. The punishment for the crime? A four game suspension starting in week one of the regular season.

Tate immediately appealed the suspension and there was some talk over whether or not the appeal would be accepted, but the general consensus was that the NFL would stick to the established precedent of not making exceptions to their substance policy because of freak cases like this one. And that’s exactly what happened. The league stuck to their existing policies and Tate lost his appeal, meaning  he won’t be able to make his regular season debut until week five.

With the Giants already having lost Odell Beckham Jr. when they traded him to the Cleveland Browns, the team is down to one when it comes to their star receivers – Sterling Shepard is on path to return in week one from a fractured thumb. Russell Shepard and Cody Latimer are expected to play next to him for the first four games after Corey Coleman was eliminated from the running by a torn ACL in early training camp, which leaves the Giants receiving for the first four games as something of a relative unknown.

Tate losing the suspension isn’t good luck but it’s also the expected outcome based on the situation. How will the team do without him? We’ll see – it’s better to lose a player for the first four games than for the last four, after all.

New York Giants: Darkhorse receiver shines in first preseason games

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T.J. Jones, New York Giants

With the New York Giants starting the preseason without Sterling Shepard on the field due to a broken thumb, several other pass catcher received plenty of playing time and film to prove their worth.

While Shepherd likely would’ve only played the first series of the game, not having him listed as a starter put a question mark on the receiving corps. If one of the Giants’ top options goes down, they could be in big trouble.

However, the receivers had a fantastic game, but one, in particular, displayed excellent attributes and resiliency against the Jets.

Former Detroit lion, TJ Jones, was signed by the Giants several weeks ago after Shepherd and Golden Tate’s regular-season debuts were put into question.

In the first preseason game of the year, Jones finished the night with six receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 12 yards per reception and put on a show against the Jets backup players.

Several other receivers also had big games, including Reggie White Jr. with four receptions for 60 yards, Russell Shepard with two receptions for 58 yards and a score, and Benny Fowler with two receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown.

For what seemed to be the biggest concern for the Giants ended up being their strong suit against the Jets. Their opposition lacked talent at the cornerback position, which is likely why they saw success across the board.

While Jones was one of the standout players, rookie passer Daniel won the highlight of the night with a beautiful pass to Fowler in the back corner of the end zone. There was a lot of positives to take away from the game, but the most glaring negative was the penalties racked up by the Giants.

Head Coach Pat Shurmur will not be happy when he sees the number of yards his team allowed. That will be a primary focus heading into the regular season.

New York Giants: Training Camp and 2019 Season Thoughts

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The start of the New York Giants training camp is a time when most fans find a reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season for the football team they dedicate 17+ weeks to. It’s also necessary to pause and provide some introspection on the team and address some of the mainstream storylines that have circulated across the Giants message boards and Twitter.  Below are my thoughts at we conclude the first two weeks of training camp. 

  • The Giants desperately need Lorenzo Carter to take a major leap. The Giants linebacking unit may be the worst in the league. Carter was their best cover linebacker last year and is the only player I trust to not be a liability on third down. It wouldn’t surprise me if B.J. Goodson and Alec Ogletree’s playing time was reduced in passing situations, both struggled in coverage last season. Carter might even be more valuable to the Giants playing out in space as he is rushing the passer.
  • The defense will likely stink again this season. The Giants had the 24th ranked defense by DVOA last year and is unlikely to improve this year. The Giants don’t have anyone on the roster that proved they could consistently rush the passer last season, their linebackers will struggle to defend the run and the pass and they don’t have any corners that played well in coverage last year. Furthermore, the Giants will be relying on a lot of young players (B.J. Hill, Carter, Dexter Lawrence, Sam Beal, DeAndre Baker, Grant Haley, Julian Love, and Oshane Ximines) to play well this year. It’s unrealistic to think that most of these young players can be impactful on a consistent basis.
  • Evan Engram is an upgrade over Golden Tate. The loss of Golden Tate will hurt the Giants, but not as much as people may think. Evan Engram will get more targets in Tate’s absence, and at this point of their careers, Engram is a more explosive receiver than Tate. Engram needs to improve his route running and struggles to shake from coverage, but Shurmur finally figured out how to use Engram in the second half of the season. Get him in space and let him run. I expect the Giants to use him more to stretch the field than they have in the past. 
  • The offense will not be better without Odell Beckham Jr. this year. For the first time since 2010, the Giants should have an above-average pass-blocking offensive line. However, don’t expect the Giants offense to be better than last year when they ranked 13th by DVOA. It’s too simple to look at the last four games of the season, wipe out the Titans game and come to the conclusion the Giants offense can thrive without Beckham. It can’t. Without Beckham, defenses can focus on containing Barkley and will have confidence their secondary can hold up against the Giants receivers. Shurmer will have to be extra creative with his scheme and play calling to help the Giants receiver get open against man coverage.
  • Daniel Jones needs first-team reps. The Giants can help Jones grow without sacrificing victories this season. He needs to be given first-team reps in training camp and the preseason. Eli Manning does not require 100% of the reps with the starters to get himself ready for the season. Giving Jones a portion of those reps will help Eli rest his arm while giving Jones valuable experience playing behind the first-string offensive line. The Giants will learn very little about the potential of their first-round pick if he’s spending camp and preseason running for his life. 

 

New York Giants: Peter King Predicts Tate Won’t Escape Suspension

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

After sending away Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns and losing Sterling Shepard for now due to a thumb injury which should put him out of action for the entirety of training camp, as well as Corey Coleman to a very early ACL tear, it looks like the New York Giants might also lose one of the newest additions to their receiving corps.

Golden Tate joined the team this offseason but not long after starting with the Giants, it was revealed that Tate may be facing a four game suspension for violating the league’s substance policies. While it looks like the reason for the suspension is an accident, it doesn’t change the fact that the league’s policies have a precedent for being enforced regardless.

That’s the reason why Peter King predicts in his Football Morning in America column that Tate is going to lose the ongoing appeal, which will determine whether Tate is able to play for the Giants during the start of the season or not.

And a note about Golden Tate, who is facing a four-game ban for a PED that he claims was an innocent fertility drug—taken in a family-planning mode to help he and wife have a child. Then he found out the drug contained a substance banned by the NFL. Here’s the problem: If the NFL lets Tate slide on this, and agrees that he and his wife are innocent parties here, what does the league do about the point it’s made in scores of team meetings and scores of public statements about performance-enhancing drugs: All players are responsible for what they put in their body, and if it’s on a banned list, there are no exceptions. Does the league roll back that stricture? I doubt it.

The Giants may have Sterling Shepard back in week one if the recovery from his hand injury is a quick one, but they’ll still be quite thin at the position for the first four games unless Tate is in the lineup. They are, after all, in their first season figuring things out at the position without the presence of a star like Odell Beckham.

With the Giants also losing Corey Coleman to an ACL tear, it looks like the number two receiver spot for the start of the season will come down to players such as Russell Shepard and Cody Latimer – neither of whom have had this much pressure on them before. It’s not ideal… And the situation will leave Giants fans anxiously waiting for the result of Tate’s appeal.

Just don’t count on the NFL overturning years of precedent to allow Tate to start the season with no suspension. It’s not completely out of the list of possibilities, but unless the NFL wants to make a big shift, it just doesn’t look like something that will happen.

New York Giants: Could Former Legendary Giants Receiver Make A Comeback?

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New York Giants, Victor Cruz

The New York Giants have been plagued with an injury early on in training camp. The Giants have seen two starting receivers go down with an injury and a couple of key pieces on defense, too.

The latest news in the Giants’ recent series of unfortunate events comes once again from the receiver corps. Newly signed veteran receiver Golden Tate has been suspended four games. Tate is appealing the suspension but there is no guarantee he will win.

The Giants signed a couple of new receivers to add some depth, but should more be done? One surprising name could become an option for New York. Former Giants’ receiver Victor Cruz has shown some interest in a reunion.

Where Does This Rumor Come From?

News broke of Golden Tate’s suspension Saturday morning resulting in a panic amongst Giants Nation. It looks like the Giants could be without all three of their starting receivers (Shepard, Tate, and Coleman) come week one.

The Giants will need to sign some players to keep their receiving corps decent. As Giants fans and reporters discussed the Golden Tate news, they also discussed potential replacements. Along the way, former Giants legendary wide receiver Victor Cruz’s name came up in discussions.

Former Giants and current Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara was the first to mention Victor Cruz as an option for the Giants. Amukamara brought Victor into the discussion with this exciting tweet:

Prominent Giants beat reporter Art Stapleton then kept it going, responding to Amukamara with “Co-sign.” Later on in the day, a fan asked Stapleton on Twitter if Cruz to the Giants was a possibility. Art then asked Victor Cruz what he thought about it. Cruz responded with this:

Victor Cruz claims to be ready to make a comeback. Should the Giants give the slot a receiver a shot?

What Does Cruz Have Left In The Tank?

Victor Cruz is now 32 years old and has not played professional football since the 2017 pre-season during his brief stint in Chicago. But according to Victor himself, he is ready to make an NFL comeback.

Giants fans will always remember Victor Cruz for his legendary moments during the Giants’ Super Bowl run in the 2011 to 2012 NFL season. The Salsa-dancing playmaker was nothing short of incredible that year.

It was after that season that things started to tumble downward for Victor. He suffered multiple injuries, including a devastating torn patellar tendon in 2014. Cruz was never really able to get back to 100%, except for a brief part of the Giants’ 2016 season.

That year, Cruz did manage to play in 15 games, but he did not have a prominent role in New York’s offense. Victor recorded only 39 receptions, 589 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown.

It would be really cool to see Victor Cruz suit up in Giants blue one more time, but it is a pipe dream, to say the least. His extensive injury history and extended time away from the game will leave the Giants with too many question marks.

However, at only 32 years old, Victor Cruz is still young enough to play ball. Golden Tate is 30 and the Giants just signed him to a 4-year deal this offseason. If Victor Cruz manages to get a workout with Big Blue and looks impressive, his age will not stop him and New York from striking a deal.