Getty Wide recevier Sterling Shepard going against the Atlanta Falcons.
Players whose contracts expire with the New York Giants will take effect on the first day of the new league year on Mar 15, 2023, at 4:00 pm EST. Unfortunately for one Giants receiver, his contract was voided three days after the Super Bowl.
According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, Sterling Shepard is now a free agent after taking a pay cut last offseason, which included an automatic void in his restructured contract.
When Sterling Shepard took a pay cut last offseason, his new contract included an automatic void three days after the Super Bowl. So he becomes a free agent today. The Giants will carry a $4.3M dead money charge for Shepard in 2023.
Shepard, 30, suffered a non-contact ACL tear in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys that sidelined him for the rest of the 2022 season. Shepard has played just ten games since the 2021 season. If he would like, No. 3 can officially sign with another team, including resigning with the Giants.
Shepard’s Career As a Giant
Since being drafted out of Oklahoma in 2016, Shepard’s only home in the NFL has been New York. As a rookie, Shepard had an outstanding season playing all 16 games and catching 65 receptions for 683 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Giants finished the year with an 11-5 record and were back in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. Even though they lost to Green Bay in the first round, the future looked bright at the receiver position, with Odell Beckham and Shepard leading the way.
Shepard was certainly a fan favorite, but many will wonder, “what could have been?” if he didn’t have injuries. Outside of the 2018 season, Shepard was in and out of the lineup, limiting his time. During his seven years in New York, he played 75 games. That averages to about two and a 16-game season.
His talent was never questioned as Shepard amassed 362 receptions, 4,038 yards and 23 total touchdowns. Shepard’s receiving total ranks 16th in franchise history behind tight end Jeremy Shockey.
Could Shepard Return To New York?
Shepard is recovering from his second significant surgery in as many seasons. In 2021, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury and then tore his ACL in 2022. Duggan believes that Shepard won’t have much of a market as he recovers from injury, which could bring both sides back together.
Shepard doesn’t figure to have much of a market as he recovers from a torn ACL, so there could be appeal for both sides to bring him back to the Giants when he’s healthy.
There’s a case to be made for Shepard returning to the Giants. After the season was over, Head Coach Brian Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen spoke about the receiver’s impact on the team this season, especially being a veteran presence in a young locker room.
On Feb. 6, 2023, Anthony Rivardo of Empire Sports Media quoted Coach Daboll saying, “I think he helps everybody. He helps the defensive guys, the receivers, the offensive guys… I think the guys have a lot of respect for him. He’s just been a really good teammate for us. Joe and I, we wanted him around… But he’s here every day. He’s an energy giver. He lifts everybody up: coaches, players, staff members. Just a great teammate.”
Rivardo continued with a quote from Schoen, who echoed Shepard’s impact. “Love Shep. He’s awesome; juice guy all the time. He’s one of my favorites here. He’s been a tremendous resource around here for us.”
If the GM and the head coach get on board to bring Shepard back, the feeling is mutual from the player’s perspective. Shepard told the New York Post he “very badly” wants to remain with the team that drafted him.
Sterling Shepard told The NY Post he “very badly” wants to remain with the Giants:
“This is my second home. I’ve never lived anywhere else in my life, never been a part of another program.”
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Shepard and his return to the NFL. If things out for both sides, his best landing spot might be returning to his second home in New York.