Golden Tate is one of the most notable additions to the New York Giants this year, and will come in with the expectation of helping the team move on from Odell Beckham Jr., who was the undisputed dominant receiver of the offense in past years. Tate will work with Sterling Shepard to replace the production, but both players bring different things to the offense – one of the things that Tate brings, of course, is the ability to pick up yards after the catch by making defenders miss.
“I just don’t like to be tackled. I try to fight for as many extra yards as I can. I think whenever the ball is in my hands, there is an opportunity for something special to happen,” Tate told NJ Advance Media.
Tate additionally claimed that part of getting yards after the catch has to do with the quarterback and the way that the ball is thrown.
“The quarterback plays a big role in that as well. Going back to my time in Detroit, Stafford was always getting me the ball and it was there so quickly that I had time and space… If the ball is coming late, you don’t have time to make moves. [Stafford] was giving me a runner’s ball, placing it where I could stop on a dime or run through it, or a ball with some touch where I could hit the brakes.”
When Odell Beckham Jr. was a member of the Giants, he was somewhat known for being able to turn slants and other short routes into big plays. It should help the offense as a whole – and more specifically, quarterback Eli Manning, to have someone that can play with a similar skillset.
Tate had 795 receiving yards last season with two different teams but only started 8 games compared to 12 the season before. Before last season, Tate had also broken 1,000 yards in back to back years – production which would greatly help the Giants if Tate can manage to hit those levels again with Eli Manning as the quarterback throwing to him.