HAND PICKED
No young Giant receivers have stepped up to secure a roster spot thus far
VICTOR CRUZ has watched the other Giants receivers all summer, waiting to see who would step up into the third-receiver role. He’s seen them all take turns grabbing the spotlight with Hakeem Nicks stuck on the sidelines.
If he had to choose the one who has had the best preseason, he said he couldn’t settle on just one.
“Ironically enough it’s been a little bit of everyone,” Cruz said. “It’s going to be tough for these coaches. I’m glad I’m not a coach or anybody working up top because it’s going to be tough to pick one of those guys.”
That’s one way of looking at the competition at receiver. Another way is that heading into the Giants’ preseason game against the Jets on Saturday night, none of the receivers has stepped up and seized control. Ramses Barden, Domenik Hixon, Jerrel Jernigan and rookie Rueben Randle have all their good moments.
None of them, though, has done enough.
That’s why this game is so big to the four receivers vying for the right to slide into the offense behind Nicks and Cruz. The starters will likely play almost all of the first half and with Nicks still out there’ll be plenty of chances to go around. And against a strong Jets defense with Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie at cornerback, it will be a big test.
“It’s a huge test to go against the potentially top two corners in the league and to get some solid work against them,” Cruz said. “We’ll really see where you stand as a team and we’ll get some self-analysis to see how you are as an individual against those guys.”
So where are the receivers as individuals after three weeks of training camp? Even though Hixon seemed to have the strongest camp, he didn’t play last Friday night, and most of his reps have come while filling in for Nicks, not in the third receiver spot. Barden has had a strong camp, too, but he’s done that before and he’s never been able to follow through.
The player who had the strongest preseason game was Randle, the Giants’ secondround pick, who had two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown, although none of t hat came with the firstteam offense. Meanwhile Jernigan, who had no catches against Jacksonville, has had some good moments, but he also has had trouble holding onto the ball.
“I don’t know if there’s just one guy right now,” said quarterback Eli Manning. “I think there are a number of guys. I think these preseason games are big, when you see them against live action, against good corners, see their releases, and see if they’re doing a good job getting open.”
He added, “It ’s always a good prob- lem to have as a quarterback, (to) have a number of receivers who can come in and play well for you.” He also hinted that the Giants could go with a committee at the third receiver spot because “some guys do some things better than others.”
But that’s the not the way the Giants’ offense has worked in the past. They’ve always had a “Big Three.” Last year, the third wideout was Mario Manningham, who had 39 catches in 12 games. Manningham wasn’t re-signed and is now in San Francisco, leaving a hole for somebody else to fill. Starting Saturday night, the champs just need one of them to step up and do it. “They’re all talented, and they’re all good players so it’s going to be a tough decision,” Cruz said. “But I think all of those guys definitely have the talent.”
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