Giants Roster Review: WR's

Let's get WR's out of the way, since they're probably the most confusing right now.    The Soup Harris injury, as well, as, I guess, the IR'ing of Manningham and Holliday, as well as the injury to Odell Beckham Jr.,  and the slow development pace of Jernigan and Randle has left things a jumble.

Right now we have Cruz, Beckham, Randle, Jernigan, Parker and Washington on the 53, plist Julian Talley on the Practice Squad.   I frankly think Parker is just insurance in case Beckham can't go against the Lions and think he'll be cut as soon as Beckham can play.

Randle and Jernigan have both flashed, but both, and Randle especially, have been involved in some really bad plays.   Jernigan with the ball in his hands can be explosive, but the problem has been getting the ball into his hands.   Eli doesn't look for him much, and it seems like he throws him a lot of grounders when they try to get it to him in the short passing game.

Randle is more problematic.   On any play where he and Eli have to be on the same page, he just doesn't seem to be.  His mistakes have lead to drive killing incompletions and, worse still, interceptions.  He's been a liability.  It's strange because he looked like a real Giant-type receiver who could run the whole tree,  when he was in the draft.   Of course, some times it does take some time, but he hasn't had bad injuries, and so this year should see big growth, or it will be time to cut losses.

Cruz is Cruz, and Eli will get him his catches in any O. There's some speculation that he'll explode in the new one, but we haven't seen enough of it to know just how much he will.   But he still needs help.

Corey Washington could be that help, but it could take awhile before the coaches are willing to use him that way.    Still, the Giants have gotten really lucky with Washington.  As I said during draft season, the Giants really needed a power receiver.    Washington is just that kind of guy with the additional ability to run a sub 7 3-cone.     Sure he needs work on route running, but remember Herman Moore only used to run 3 routes, so maybe he won't have to learn the whole tree.

And if he ever gets healthy Odell Beckham Jr. is the most talented WR on the team.   He's just incredible football talent, who can play the X,  and has the potential to score any time he touches it, whether on offense or one specials.    And even though he's only practiced a few times, no less a Giant than Victor Cruz says the O is better when he's in it.   Special player.   So let's get him healthy.

Once we do, we can either dump Parker and promote Talley who seems more solid, or find someone else.     But until Beckham is healthy, and a third guy steps up to got with Beckham and Cruz, it'll be tricky.   And if Randle busts, we'll have to pick another one next year.

Having said all of that, this is bad luck and not bad management by the Giants.  Losing Harris, Manningham and Holliday, and the injury to Beckham has not been their fault.   And finding Washington could turn out to be a home run.