The finalizing of Sterling Shepard’s four-year, $41 million extension shows the path the New York Giants are taking moving forward in 2019. Solidifying the offense and ensuring the receiving corps is built through, was a priority for the front office. Securing both Shepard for the long-term and Golden Tate for four years indicates that they believe the duo can be effective consistently.
While the money invested in Tate ($37.5M) might seem like a lot, he’s a savvy veteran that brings toughness and leadership to the team. Yes, we’ve heard that before with Jonathan Stewart, but Tate can actually be an impact player.
The New York Giants have now done what Jerry Reese could never do:
More than half a decade the Giants have spent piecing together an offensive line, to which no success was extracted at any point. In just one season GM Dave Gettleman has built the foundation for a line that has locked up several top players (Nate Solder & Kevin Zeitler) on long-term deals while also drafting a young stud in Will Hernandez.
All that’s left is to address the right tackle position in the upcoming draft. Options like Andre Dillard, Jawaan Taylor, and Dalton Risner all make sense for the Giants. Upgrading the spot over Chad Wheeler must be a priority, especially if a young quarterback is going to be drafted early on.
Additionally, veteran QB Eli Manning has struggled for years without consistent offensive line play. Having a quality group of men in the trenches should allow him to perform at an adequate level, despite father time knocking on his door.
Outside of the offensive line and receiving corps, the tight end group shouldn’t be overlooked either. The Giants re-signed Scott Simonson on a one-year, $895k deal, pairing him with Rhett Ellison to open up holes for Saquon Barkley. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if Ellison was cut in an attempt to save cap space. This would leave Simonson as the primary blocking tight end while Evan Engram upholds his usual receiving duties.
There’s no question the Giants will have a lot to prove in 2019 after bolstering the offense and trading Odell Beckham Jr.. They must now continue to allocate resources towards a very thin defense that’s full of youth and inexperience.