The receiving corps looks very different this year for the New York Giants. The team has moved on from Odell Beckham and when that trade happened, many asked who would be the player to step up and replace the former number one receiver. Would the team rely solely on Sterling Shepard and possibly on a drafted rookie, too? Or would they look to free agency? Giants fans didn’t have to wait that long to find out the answer, as the addition of Golden Tate was a quick one following the departure of Beckham.
But most Giants fans won’t know what kind of player Tate really is, just yet. Tate spent the 2018 season in the NFC East division with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, but before that, Tate played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions, two teams that the Giants don’t see as often.
However, if Tate himself is to be believed, there’s some good reasons to be excited about the new addition to the offense.
“I’ve had a chip on my shoulder my entire career. I continue to show up and play ball. I feel like I’ve been one of the most reliable receivers in this league for a decade,” said Tate, speaking to the media on Thursday.
And for once, the Giants’ locker room was something that was praised instead of the subject of some negative rumor. It’s the first time in awhile that things have been like that.
“You can already tell a week in we have a really solid locker room. It’s been great so far. I’m looking forward to building these relationships,” Tate also said.
One of the important relationships will be the one with second year running back Saquon Barkley, who is possibly the leading player on the entire team. So far, it looks like Tate and Barkley will get along just fine. “I get caught staring at that dude. I’m not going to lie to you… He has the potential to be one of the best backs ever.”
Both Tate and Barkley will be under immense pressure as more of the workload falls on them with the departure of Beckham. Will they live up to it? We’ll just have to wait for the 2019 season and see.