The New York Giants are seemingly well-stocked at the wide receiver position heading into the 2011 season. They certainly appear to have plenty of players to choose from for what most likely will be six receivers on the season-opening roster.
Topping the list are Hakeem Nicks, the 2009 No. 1 pick, who caught a team-leading 79 passes in 2010, 11 for touchdowns. Next is Mario Manningham, who caught 60 balls and emerged as a big-play threat, scoring nine touchdowns and averaging 15.7 yards per catch.
Next there is Steve Smith, who set the Giants single-season record for catches in 2009 with 107. He is third on the list here only because of questions about his health following micro-fracture surgery on his knee.
Then the Giants have Ramses Barden, Domenik Hixon (returning from knee surgery), Derek Hagan and Duke Calhoun. They also have Victor Cruz, who spent most of last season on injured reserve, Michael Clayton and Devin Thomas.
With all of those players, you would think the Giants would be set at wide receiver. Yet, after Nicks and Manningham there are questions about all of those players. From my view, in a big-play league it wouldn’t shock me if the Giants add a receiver to the mix if the right player is available to them in the middle to late rounds.
What might the Giants look for? Either a pure speed guy who might also be able to return kicks, or a precise route-runner who might fill the Smith role is SS12 does not make it back from his serious knee injury.
Analysis: If the value is there, the Giants will probably jump.