The tight end position has a ton of positional quality for the New York Giants, but will they keep all of them?
With Evan Engram sitting out with a hamstring injury, a song sang all too frequently, the other tight ends on the team have reaped the benefits.
Undrafted rookie CJ Conrad has made a big splash since joining the team several weeks ago, but one of the quieter options on the unit, Scott Simonson, has made his fair share of impressive plays.
The Giants’ final practice of four OTAs closed out with Simonson showing his worth in the passing game. He was resigned this year to a one year, $895K deal.
New York Giants close up OTAs–
On Thursday, he kicked off the final practice with a tough touchdown catch at the goal line, with rookie quarterback Daniel Jones threading the needle. He placed the ball only where Simonson could make the grab, a quality throw from the Giants’ future signal caller.
Several players later the pair connected again for a big gain on the left side of the field. The development of chemistry between Jones and the starting players is essential, especially if he’s to take over in 2020.
The one thing I like about the fifth-year tight end is his ability to play in the run and passing game. He’s a quality blocker that can stand tall and fend off edge rushers to allow Saquon Barkley to break into the open field. I anticipate head coach Pat Shurmur utilizing him in a similar fashion this upcoming season, as he gathered nine receptions for 86-yards and a score. He played in all 16 games, starting in just four of them.
That’s an indicator of his usage in the run game and what he’s capable of on the line of scrimmage. The Giants could use a lot of two-tight-end sets on the offense, as they have multiple players at the position with all different qualities. However, cutting Simonson would only cost the team $90K in dead-cap, so it’s safe to say he’s fighting for a place on the team this offseason.