Big Blue needs to haul in receiver

The Giants don’t just need a receiver. They need a No. 1 receiver. This is a major distinction to remember in this critical offseason for Daniel Jones’ Giants offense. There are potential impediments to the Giants landing a sure stud this offseason: the franchise tag, the salary cap, competition on the open market and the uncertainty of the NFL draft board.

But that doesn’t mean the Giants won’t shoot high. They cannot settle on secondary options here. They have to try to go big. They need an alpha, a true No. 1.

In this free-agency class, the Chicago Bears’ Allen Robinson, 27, is that player. The Lions’ Kenny Golladay, 27, and the Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin, 25, also have that potential.

Then there’s everyone else.

The Titans’ Corey Davis, 26, is a good young player. He is not an established No. 1 receiver.

The Panthers’ Curtis Samuel, 24, is a versatile weapon. He was Carolina’s No. 3 last year.

The Texans’ Will Fuller was a No. 1 early last fall, but after a PED suspension ended his only healthy season, he’s a risky proposition.

Now look at the Giants’ offense: They’d like to think they already have a strong route runner with good hands and explosive ability in Sterling Shepard, 27, who is under contract through 2023. They have a vertical outside threat in Darius Slayton, 24, under contract through 2024.

If they keep Evan Engram, 27, on his fifth-year option, they’d bring back a motivated and skilled athlete on a contract year.

They do not need reinforcements to their current roster. They need what they don’t have: a surefire, week-in and week-out stud who commands the full attention of opposing defenses, whose presence opens the field up for everyone else.

Robinson, Golladay and Godwin are all possible candidates to be franchise tagged before the March 9 deadline by their respective teams, of course. But while Godwin seems likely to return to Tampa Bay, it is no sure thing that Robinson and Golladay will be tagged, with the salary cap shrinking and teams in desperate need of space.

Tagging a player, even with the intention of trading him, commits millions against the cap until the player is actually dealt. So Chicago and Detroit might not have that luxury with those two players.

Can the Giants draft a star receiver at No. 11 overall? Sure, possibly.

But would it be wise to stay put in free agency and count on that No.11 pick being the receiver you want, needing him to produce immediately in 2021? It’s hard to guarantee that would fall into place.

We know LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle and Florida’s Kyle Pitts are all high-level talents.

What we don’t know is how teams are stacking all of them, who will be available at No. 11, and if that player will be able to handle No. 1 duties out of the gate in 2021.

Pitts, at 6-6, is generating the most early buzz in the scouting community as a college tight end who projects as an NFL wideout. Smith, at 6-1, is the lightning-fast reigning Heisman winner. Chase, at 6-1, was college football’s top wideout in 2019 but opted out last season. Waddle, at 5-10, can fly but is coming off an injury.

The Giants are rebuilding, obviously, so they’re eyeing the long-term in every evaluation and decision, and a draft pick isn’t a success or failure based on what happens in Week 1 or Year One.

But the organization faces more urgency at the receiver position this spring because of where Jones is in his development. He is a third-year quarterback coming off an 11-TD pass season who needs to take a significant leap in 2021 to confirm his place as the franchise QB.

The Giants have everything riding on how Jones plays. They need to give him the best possible arsenal.

They also can’t hamstring themselves into having to draft a receiver at No. 11 because they have plenty of other needs on their roster, like corner, edge rusher and offensive line. They need to be prepared to draft the best player available there.

Granted, the Giants are only slightly above the salary cap as is, and even after their releases and restructures — with Golden Tate an expected cap casualty — they’ll have to be smart about where they spend.

But receiver is not a position they will fill using the bargain bin this offseason.

They need to plan for every scenario. There are plenty of factors outside of their control at play. As the Giants enter free agency, though, their primary aim must be to do more than just add offensive weapons. It must be to land a No. 1 receiver who can help unlock Jones, the Saquon Barkley-led run game and this offense for good.