The Giants just gave Sterling Shepard $41 million dollars for a 4-year deal. With that cash drop the picture in NY is sharpening into focus. The Giants have now dumped a fair amount of cash on two slot-style receivers. That strategy only serves to indicate that the Giants indeed plan to run more 21 personnel groupings in the coming season, relying on 1 stretch TE alongside a pair of receivers that work primarily as underneath or slot guys on either side of the field (I slot left, etc.) with the TE running corners to abuse the OLB with his speed. What worries me is that they are going to need to use Tate or Shepard as an actual 1, because they don’t have that guy. Perhaps the goal is to get Shepard matched up on the top corner and use his (respectable but not game breaking) speed to loosen up the D to let Barkley work inside and underneath as well?
Another thought is that there is going to be a speed WR drafted this year to stretch the field as well. That or they pull in a Noah Fant or someone else early in the draft and go 12 personnel. So, yeah, maybe the picture really isn’t that clear at all yet. One thing is for certain: They’re paying Shepard in spite of a sophomore slump predicated by the absence of Beckham and the clear knowledge that he cannot be a feature WR in this league just yet. Hopefully he’s good enough to slip by the D when the real attention is on the other talent on the field