The New York Giants receiving corps just got a bit thinner, for now, that is.
The team announced on Tuesday that they have placed wide receiver David Sills on the Reserve/COVID-19, meaning that the former West Virginia standout either tested positive or has been in contact with someone that has. Teams are not allowed to disclose the reasoning for a player’s placement on the list. The good news is that Sills, according to New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard, is asymptomatic.
Sills spent the majority of his rookie season on the Giants’ practice squad after being waived by the Buffalo Bills after failing to make the team’s final-53 as an undrafted free agent.
Sills Has an Uphill Battle to Make Giants’ Roster
Sills, a former 13-year-old quarterback prodigy turned all-time great West Virginia wide receiver, spent the majority of his rookie season on the Giants’ practice squad a season ago. This on the heels of being waived by the Buffalo Bills after failing to make the team’s final-53 as an undrafted free agent.
Sills cherished the time spent on the practice squad in 2019. However, he has his sights on bigger things this time around. The wideout told MetroNews earlier this offseason that he feels his time as a reserve helped elevate his game as well as his placement within the organization, stating “I think that propelled me into putting myself in a good spot for this year.”
However, he’s also well aware that he has an uphill battle in front of him to land a roster spot, with a crowded receiver depth chart in New York.
Giants.com’s John Schmeelk backed that notion in a recent installment of Giants Mailbag when a fan wrote in asking Schmeelk to gauge Sills’ skill-level as well as if he envisions an uptick in playing time for former 1st-Team All-American.
Here’s what Schmeelk had to say:
Sills (6-3, 211) is a big receiver and was a downfield threat who played outside in college but lacks elite NFL speed. The back-end of the wide receiver depth chart is up for grabs in 2020, and Sills will have every chance to make the team. But I would not count on him beating out Shepard, Tate or Slayton for significant playing time.
Wideouts Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton are obvious locks for the Giants’ 2020 roster. However, Sills will compete against the likes of Corey Coleman, Da’Mari Scott, Cody Core, Amba Etta-Tawo, Alex Bachman, and UDFAs Austin Mack, Victor Binjimen and Derrick Dillon for the final two to three wide receiver spots.
It will clearly be an uphill battle for Sills to make Big Blue’s 53-man roster. However, he knows that the best way for him to do so is to simply produce.
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Sills’ Big-Bodied Frame Gives Him a Fighting Chance
Sills has one thing going for him, something that the majority of his fellow Giants receivers lack, and that, of course, is size.
It also helps that he knows how to use it. The 6-foot-3-inch, 200-plus pound receiver recorded 35-career receiving touchdowns during his time at West Virginia, good enough for second all-time in school history.
Unfortunately, the chances of Sills being able to flaunt his big-bodied frame in the red zone has taken a massive hit due to the combination of no preseason and now his placement on the reserves/COVID-19 List.
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Giants Place Intriguing Big-Bodied WR on Reserve/COVID-19 List