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T
he New York Giants asked what have you done for me lately?, and decided Isaiah Hodgins hadn’t done enough, despite the wide receiver’s history as one of quarterback Daniel Jones favorite targets, not to mention his clutch heroics during the team’s last playoff win.
Hodgins is being waived on Tuesday, August 27, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. It’s a tough blow for a popular player who proved more than useful late during the team’s Cinderella 2022 season.
That was when Hodgins became a clutch target for Jones. In eight regular season games, Jones targeted Hodgins 42 times and completed 33 passes for 350 yards to the former Buffalo Bills receiver, per Pro Football Reference.
The high-mark of their connection came against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild-Card Playoffs, when Hodgins reeled in eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown to help secure a 31-24 upset win on the road.
Things have changed since, and the Giants are putting their faith in younger, faster wideouts. Notably, top draft pick Malik Nabers and second-year deep threat Jalin Hyatt.
Yet, there could still be a place for 25-year-old Hodgins on the fringes, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. He believes “the Giants would love to get him to the P-squad for insurance in their ideal world.”
That plan makes sense, although the Giants are stacked at receiver thanks to Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton. Hodgins is released on the same day the Giants also ditched fellow receiver and former Pro Bowler Allen Robinson II, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, reaffirming a commitment to getting younger a the position.
Isaiah Hodgins Made Daniel Jones Better
What Hodgins gave Jones was a big-bodied target who could bully cornerbacks and get open between the numbers. He did both for fun against the Vikings and eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson in the postseason.
Hodgins beat Peterson for his playoff touchdown and routinely gave Jones easy reads and quick throws at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Given his prolific end to the campaign, Hodgins appeared primed for a breakout season in 2023. Especially after the Giants rewarded Jones with a $160-million contract.
Fate had other ideas, though, as a neck injury and torn ACL laid Jones low. He was already struggling with turnovers, but Jones was still looking Hodgins’ way during his best game of last season, Week 2’s 31-28 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Hodgins snagged another touchdown pass and explained the short-hand communication he and Jones had down pat, per Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View: “After the game, in reference to his TD, Isaiah Hodgins stated that Daniel Jones looked at him and said, ‘Be Ready.’ Jones knew what the Cardinals would do against the EMPTY formation w/ Barkley stacked behind Hodgins on a delayed release.
This is the kind of intuitive bond the Giants need Jones to form with Nabers. In the short-term, though, ditching Hodgins is a risk given general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll have staked their tenure on Jones making the grade.
Giants Betting on Other Receivers
The gamble Schoen and Daboll are taking is mitigated by the potential of other receivers. Nabers is notably already earning respect for his playmaking prowess, while Haytt and Slayton can stretch the field on any play.
Jones and the Giants should push the ball vertically more often this season, but Robinson still has breakout potential underneath. This quartet defines a new-look receiver corps set to determine the success of Jones’ and the Giants’ season.
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