Getty New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard in 2020.
After veteran wide receiver Corey Davis shocked the NFL world by retiring, the New York Jets were left with a difficult decision — roll with the current roster or scour the market for a new pass-catcher to take his place.
Given the win-now nature of this season and the surplus of cap space that the Jets have at their disposal, many believe NYJ general manager Joe Douglas will choose the latter, and the cross-town rival New York Giants wouldn’t be a bad place to start.
Not only does Gang Green face off against Big Blue this weekend on August 26, but the Giants also have one of the deeper WR corps in the league. That means Douglas will have a front row seat at a few trade or waiver wire candidates on Saturday, and the Jets would be wise to do some pre-cutdown scouting during the 2023 “Snoopy Bowl.”
Former Second-Round Draft Pick Sterling Shepard Headlines Giants’ Trade Candidates at WR
One name really stands out when you look at who might be available in this Giants WR corps, and that’s 2016 second-round selection Sterling Shepard.
At the height of his career, Shepard accumulated 872 receiving yards in 2018 and was a legitimate number two or three option in most offenses. Constant injuries derailed his development, however, and after a few coaching changes for NYG, the seven-year veteran has fallen out of favor with the G-Men.
Over the past two offseasons, the new regime led by Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll has brought in several wideouts to challenge the old guard — which is down to just Shepard, Darius Slayton and David Sills. Wan’Dale Robinson was drafted in round two of 2022, with Jalin Hyatt in round three this April. The Giants have also signed or claimed Parris Campbell, Cole Beasley, Jamison Crowder, Collin Johnson and Isaiah Hodgins.
The latter, Hodgins, was a former sixth-round draft pick Schoen scouted during his time with the Buffalo Bills, and his knowledge of Daboll’s system has played to his advantage over the oft-injured Shepard.
uSTADIUM listed Shepard as a “roster bubble” player that could be traded or cut next week on August 25, per their sources. He’s an experienced pair of hands who knows what it takes to perform in New York City, and he wouldn’t cost much.
Per Over the Cap, his base salary is just $1.165 million in 2023, with a cap number just over $1.054 million. It’s also unlikely that the trade compensation would be anything more than a late-round pick or swap.
After seven seasons with the Giants, Shepard is in need of a change of scenery at age 30. Although the Jets wouldn’t offer a new city, they would offer a new opportunity, and perhaps that’s all the former second rounder really needs.
Potential Jets Waiver Claim or Cut Candidates Within Giants WR Corps
Outside of Shepard, a couple of other interesting waiver candidates and veterans could get cut from the Giants wide receiver room. It appears Daboll will roll with Slayton, Campbell and Hodgins as his starters, with Robinson and Hyatt as pieces of the future.
That leaves Shepard, Beasley, Crowder, Johnson, Sills, Kalil Pimpleton and Jaydon Mickens.
With Beasley being a staff favorite and the latter three names being special teamers or practice squad talent, let’s narrow that group down to two (not including Shepard). The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt named Collin Johnson as an “intriguing” cut candidate expected to hit waivers and a reunion with Crowder in free agency could also make sense for Gang Green.
Johnson is more comparable to Davis as a physical presence, assuming health. The 6-foot-6 target was a former fifth-round selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. He does his best work out wide, and has been a preseason standout the past two summers with the Giants before suffering a torn Achilles in 2022 and a much more minor knee injury this August.
The Texas product returned to practice on August 21 and should be a full-go for the Jets scouting department on Saturday night. In two NFL campaigns of activity, he’s accumulated 377 receiving yards and two touchdowns, flashing potential throughout.
As for Crowder, fans already know what the veteran slot receiver has to offer. The 30-year-old led the Jets in receiving yards back-to-back seasons from 2019 through 2020.
Now, Crowder is looking to make his NFL comeback after an injury-ridden campaign last year. He’d be a great veteran presence and a sure-handed safety net for Aaron Rodgers. The only issue is that he’s almost too similar to Randall Cobb.