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Cole Beasley looked like he was primed to help the New York Giants improve their passing game in 2023, but injury has forced one of head coach Brian Daboll’s former players onto injured reserve. Fortunately, Daboll and the Giants have filled Beasley’s place on the practice squad by signing a wide receiver who used to play for NFC East rivals the Washington Commanders.
Cam Sims was added on Monday, September 4, according to Giants.com managing editor Dan Salomone, who also updated Beasley’s injury-determined status.
Beasley not being available because of what NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton called a “quad injury,” is a minor blow for the Giants, despite the team’s numbers at receiver. Parris Campbell was added in free agency, while Sterling Shepard, Isaiah Hodgins and Darius Slayton were all re-signed, then the Giants selected Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Yet, as Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News put it, Beasley “can help if healthy.” The 34-year-old’s experience working with Daboll for three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, along with Beasley’s enduring ability to win from the slot, would have made him a factor in this offense.
Sims is a different type of wideout, more a size mismatch, but he also has valuable inside knowledge of the Daboll playbook.
Newcomer Knows Giants’ Offense
The Giants won’t have to worry about Sims taking time to get up to speed. Not when he has experience of Daboll’s offense dating back to their days at Alabama, per Stapleton.
Sims also played on Commanders’ teams who prepared for this Giants offense twice last season. He then signed with the Las Vegas Raiders during free agency, but Sims didn’t make it through roster cuts, something the Giants can use to their advantage.
The Giants know Sims well from his time with Washington, which featured plays like this touchdown catch from 2020.
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Sims will offer the Giants a big-bodied target who could follow a similar career trajectory to Hodgins. The latter played for Daboll in Buffalo and joined the Giants off waivers back in November, but the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder became a key target for quarterback Daniel Jones, catching 33 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns.
Sims might not be as productive as a receiver, but he could get onto the field thanks to his blocking ability. He showed off that trait by sealing the edge against Giants’ pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari (51) for this Antonio Gibson run in Week 15, highlighted by “Burgundy Zone” podcast creator The Podfather.
If Sims can make plays this he’ll be an asset for Giants’ running back Saquon Barkley. Either way, Sims can offer something different to Beasley and the many other slot-style receivers on the roster.
Cole Beasley Can Still Be a Factor
Beasley was looking like a roster lock after impressing early in preseason, with his chances of contributing further boosted by the ACL injury suffered by undrafted free agent Bryce Ford-Wheaton.
His own injury issues have cost Beasley, but he could still be a factor this season since he can return after four games, per Stapleton. The veteran fits an offense loaded with diminutive slot receivers like Campbell, Shepard and second-year pro Wan’Dale Robinson.
There are more than enough intermediate targets for Jones to aim for, but Beasley has a long track record of winning inside. He tied a career-high with 82 catches in 2021 and was somebody whose number Daboll called on early downs, with Beasley making 35 receptions on first downs and a further 31 grabs on second down, according to ESPN.
There’s a reason the Giants re-signed Beasley to their practice squad on Wednesday, August 30. Daboll knows how productive the pass-catcher can be and how much he could help Jones progress this season.
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