Getty Ex-Cowboys WR Cole Beasley (right) could be an option for the Giants.
If the New York Giants want to add to their wide receiver room before the season, there’s one familiar free agent they may target.
During an appearance on NFL Network’s Inside Training Camp Live this week, veteran reporter Mike Garafolo was discussing free agent wide receiver Cole Beasley and named the Giants as a potential landing spot. Giants head coach Brian Daboll was Beasley’s offensive coordinator the last three seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
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Here’s the clip, via Garafolo’s Twitter account:
From Inside Training Camp Live in @nflnetwork: Former #Bills WR Cole Beasley remains unsigned, though that’s not for lack of interest. Beasley is remaining patient, as he waits for the right opportunity and offer.
Here’s a transcription of the relevant portion of Garafolo’s report (emphasis added):
There is, I’m told, significant interest across the league. It’s just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity, significant money — he’s not just gonna go play for a veteran minimum deal. So, Cole Beasley continues to weigh options.
Now look, he was in Buffalo the last couple of years. Brian Daboll and [general manager] Joe Schoen went down to the Giants, so you’d be wise to think there’s at least a little bit of interest from the Giants. There are other teams as well. Certainly playing for a contender is gonna be something else that Beasley’s going to be looking for.
This is a guy that I’ll keep an eye on to see where he signs. I think in the next couple of weeks, sometime during training camp.
Beasley, 33, is not just familiar to Daboll and Schoen from their time together in Buffalo. Giants fans should know him from his time in the NFC East, where he played his first seven seasons for the Dallas Cowboys (2012-2018). He has played 14 career games against the Giants (10 wins) and caught 38 passes for 515 yards and two touchdowns in those games.
Giants fans might remember Beasley making this behind-the-back catch against New York in Week 1 of the 2017 season.
Beasley’s role expanded once he got to Buffalo. He has caught exactly 82 passes each of the past two seasons and recorded a career high 967 receiving yards during the 2020 season. He is more of a short-yardage/move-the-chains receiver, but he did manage to produce a career-high six touchdowns in 2019 with the Bills.
Do The Giants Need Another Wide Receiver?
The Giants have questionable depth at a few positions, but wide receiver isn’t really one of them. In fact, the wide receiver room is so crowded at the moment that Darius Slayton, who was the team’s leading receiver in two of the past three seasons, has suddenly found himself on the roster bubble.
Kenny Golladay was a big free-agency signing last year, and is projected to be the No. 1 receiver this year. Former first-round pick Kadarius Toney is expected to bounce back from an injury-plagued rookie season. Sterling Shepard is the veteran leader in the group, and Wan’Dale Robinson is the intriguing rookie in the mix.
Other receivers with a decent shot at making the final roster are Richie James, C.J. Board, Collin Johnson and David Sills.
Unless there’s a major injury in this group, it’s difficult to see where Beasley would fit.
Do The Giants Have the Cash to Sign Cole Beasley?
Forget the fit for a second, the Giants may not even have the money to sign Beasley. During a press conference on Wednesday, Joe Schoen confirmed that the Giants are less than $5 million under the salary cap.
Via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post:
Joe Schoen confirms the Giants are less than $5 million under the salary cap.
According to the rankings at Over The Cap, the Giants have the third lowest salary cap space ahead of just the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. They’re also spending a ton of money on the receivers they already have.
Garafolo’s report specifically noted that Beasley would not sign for veteran minimum.