Getty Parris Campbell of the Indianapolis Colts.
Daniel Jones has a speedy new target to throw to.
The New York Giants are signing former Colts receiver Parris Campbell, as first reported by The Score’s Jordan Schultz. According to NJ.com’s Art Stapleton, the deal will pay Campbell $3 million for one year.
Campbell’s deal also includes incentives up to $1.9 million for receiving touchdowns, long receptions of 55, 65, and 75 yards, and yardage marks from 700 to 900 yards, per NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo.
Those details show general manager Joe Schoen might see this as a high-upside move after the 25-year-old Ohio State product caught a career-best 62 passes for 682 yards, three receiving scores, and two rushing scores as an Indianapolis Colt last season.
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Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and the passing offense should be thankful for this move. Last year, New York’s receiving corps had a league-low 28 passing plays for over 20 yards and only five passing plays over 40 yards.
It should come as a shock to no one that the Giants fielded the slowest receiving receiving corps in the NFL last season, according to weighted 40-yard dash data posted by PFF.
Meanwhile: Campbell’s 40 time was 4.31 seconds, tied for third-fastest at the 2019 NFL Combine.
Route-weighted 40-yard dash times for every offense’s WR room in 2022. Decent way to look at how much speed each team put on the field from the wide receiver position
Schoen’s focus couldn’t be clearer this offseason. He was even caught telling scouts to be on the lookout for receiving upgrades in a video posted to Giants social channels.
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They found some help in Campbell. Schoen was in Buffalo when the Bills signed John Brown in 2019; this signing could help the Giants stretch the field and add some speed in the same way.
According to Pat Leonard of the Daily News, Campbell projects as both an outside and inside/slot receiver in the new-look Giants’ offense, which now also features former Raiders Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller after Wednesday’s blockbuster trade.
If Waller plays the Travis Kelce role in offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s Kansas City-inspired offense, Campbell could play the speedy and far more budget-friendly Tyreek Hill role.
As an added bonus, Campbell offers the Giants another wrinkle in the running game. According to a tweet from Stapleton, current Giants receivers coach Mike Groh sung Campbell’s praises as a ball carrier when they were together in Indianapolis; they’ll be reunited in New York.
Giants WR coach Mike Groh on Parris Campbell while together in Indy: “A threat on all levels. He’s somebody you can get the ball into their hands very quickly, he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands, can make people miss, break tackles. He’s got vision as a runner.”
Campbell could be just the first of many moves at Schoen’s targeted position.
The team owns the 25th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, where ESPN Draft analyst Todd McShay projects them to take Boston College receiver Zay Flowers in his latest Mock Draft.
Wrote McShay: “Flowers could really unlock another level of the offense. With explosive traits, great instincts and 4.42 speed, he caught 78 balls for 1,077 yards and 12 TDs in 2022.” And other draft analysts linked the Giants to targets like USC receiver Jordan Addison, Ohio State receiver Jaxon-Smith Njigba, and Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
On the free agent front, Big Blue is also connected to pass-catchers like former Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman and former Lions and Jaguars receiver DJ Chark. Reunions with Odell Beckham Jr. and Darius Slayton are still possibilities too, according to Leonard and Stapleton.
This Campbell signing won’t solve the entire problem. But it’s a good first step for Schoen and a Giants front office that has no illusions about what needs fixing this offseason.