for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

In an otherwise dismal season...

Klaatu : 1/11/2020 1:57 pm
One of the few bright spots was the play of rookie WR Darius Slayton, the Giants' second 5th Round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft (#171 overall).

Initially, I was not very high on Slayton. BlueLou'sBack can attest to that. Sure, he had good size and excellent speed, but his hands were suspect. No doubt that was why he fell all the way to the end of the 5th Round. After watching him drop a few passes in the Spring, I jokingly asked if his receivers coach was Roberto Duran.

The Summer didn't get much better for him. Just when it seemed like he'd gotten over the "dropsies," he went down with a hamstring injury that kept him from practicing, and kept him out of three of the four preseason games. He only had one catch in the preseason, a 27-yard reception against the Bengals. All this at a time when guys like T.J. Jones and Alonzo Russell were making plays. It was so bad that some of the beats were wondering if he'd even make the final 53?

But he did, and even though his hamstring injury caused him to miss the first two regular season games, he finished the season with 48 receptions for 740 yards (15.4 ypc) and 8 TD's. Not too shabby. Oh, and he also returned 9 kick returns for 189 yards. I hope the knee injury he suffered in the final game against the Redskins isn't too serious. It looks like he has a very bright future ahead of him if he can stay healthy.

So much for my first impression.

Now, to be fair to me, I did revise my initial assessment of Slayton earlier in the year. I even suggested in one thread that his ceiling shouldn't be limited to a #2 or #3 WR. I suggested that he was capable of being a #1. So it was nice to see this exchange posted in Defenderdawg's Saturday Reading thread:

Quote:
Do the Giants have a collection of secondary WR’s?
Adam Caplan (@caplannfl)
1/9/20, 4:49 PM
Not in Slayton's case...will need to get stronger physically, but teams that I've spoken to that have played them raved about him

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
1/9/20, 4:50 PM
Good inside inside from Adam here that doesn't shock me re: teams that have matched up against Darius Slayton rave about him.

Based on what I've seen from countless hours watching All22, his upside is not WR2. His upside is WR1. Straight up. Very confident in that.


I knew there was a reason I liked Dan Schneier.
what  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 1/11/2020 2:10 pm : link
I like about him is the way he adjusts to the football. While he did drop some passes, he also made some circus catches despite contact.
Nice little  
giant power : 1/11/2020 2:14 pm : link
piece from yesterday online on Giants-wire titled "Opposing teams raved about Giants WR Darius Slayton".
Agree 100% ...  
Manny in CA : 1/11/2020 2:18 pm : link

He represents an excellent first step in possible offensive resurgence. We need receivers that can scare people (in the deep zones).

Tom Coughlin understood that (Hicks, Manningham, Cruz, Beckham).

I was hoping Corey Coleman would be that answer this past year (but then he tore is ACL). Next hope was Evan Engram (Giants didn't see him that way).

My next hope is the draft - Alabama's Jerry Jeudy
Good building block for  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 1/11/2020 2:20 pm : link
sure.
RE: Agree 100% ...  
The_Boss : 1/11/2020 2:36 pm : link
In comment 14773303 Manny in CA said:
Quote:

He represents an excellent first step in possible offensive resurgence. We need receivers that can scare people (in the deep zones).

Tom Coughlin understood that (Hicks, Manningham, Cruz, Beckham).

I was hoping Corey Coleman would be that answer this past year (but then he tore is ACL). Next hope was Evan Engram (Giants didn't see him that way).

My next hope is the draft - Alabama's Jerry Jeudy


DG doesn’t have the luxury of drafting Jeudy. The defense is an embarrassment to the uniform and the OL has 1 player you can project being here by the time this team is ready to compete for the postseason.
Great production for round 5  
arniefez : 1/11/2020 2:38 pm : link
but to be a true #! he has to catch the ball better. No reason he can't improve next year. He certainly had an immediate chemistry with Jones.
Seems when you suck on the field during the season  
TMS : 1/11/2020 2:40 pm : link
The offseason is a lot better and hope this is the last year of this.
He did very well. Nice to see somebody on this team stretch  
Jimmy Googs : 1/11/2020 2:41 pm : link
the field a bit.

He has to stop letting the ball get into his body and work a bit more on his blocking, but plenty to like with his rookie year.

I had us taking Slayton in the 5th in my mock  
Giantgator : 1/11/2020 2:46 pm : link
(first time I've been right in years!). So I've got a rooting interest. Love the separation and big play ability. Indications are he's a real student of the game.
Time will tell just how good he is, but I think he looks like a  
Ira : 1/11/2020 2:53 pm : link
starter. This past year, the Giants may have drafted two starters in the fifth round.
RE: Great production for round 5  
Klaatu : 1/11/2020 3:03 pm : link
In comment 14773318 arniefez said:
Quote:
but to be a true #! he has to catch the ball better. No reason he can't improve next year. He certainly had an immediate chemistry with Jones.


Yeah, I'd like to see surer hands, but he's never going to be a possession receiver. He's there for the big play. He'll never have Sterling Shepard's catch rate, but he did beat Shepard's ypc this by about four yards.
I agree he can be a #1 receiver, he has prototype  
gtt350 : 1/11/2020 3:12 pm : link
size and speed and a year under his belt. With superior coaching I think he has a very bright future. No need to even think about Jeudy at #4
Who is the last rookie that was drafted after round 3  
mattlawson : 1/11/2020 3:17 pm : link
That produced like this kid has?
RE: Who is the last rookie that was drafted after round 3  
Klaatu : 1/11/2020 3:23 pm : link
In comment 14773350 mattlawson said:
Quote:
That produced like this kid has?


Barry Cofield, 2006, Round 4. Started from day one.

Jacquian Williams had a decent rookie year for a 7th Round pick in 2011.
He seemed to be the only receiver that fought  
ZogZerg : 1/11/2020 3:26 pm : link
For the ball and didn't go down on first contact.
I'm  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 1/11/2020 3:29 pm : link
not sure he can be a #1. He has to become a more consistently productive player, get off press coverage, etc. But there are tools to work with.

What I am going to be curious to see is what does Joe Judge think of Golden Tate.
RE: I'm  
Klaatu : 1/11/2020 3:38 pm : link
In comment 14773359 Eric from BBI said:
Quote:
not sure he can be a #1. He has to become a more consistently productive player, get off press coverage, etc. But there are tools to work with.

What I am going to be curious to see is what does Joe Judge think of Golden Tate.


From Darryl Slater at NJ.com:

Quote:
WR Golden Tate: He will be 32 at the start of next season. How much does he have left? Even with Tate taking a guaranteed money hit as a result of his 2019 suspension (performance-enhancing drugs), the Giants would still have to eat a $7 million dead money hit if they cut him. Might as well just keep him around at the $10.3 million cap number, right?
RE: I'm  
Giantimistic : 1/11/2020 3:41 pm : link
In comment 14773359 Eric from BBI said:
Quote:
not sure he can be a #1. He has to become a more consistently productive player, get off press coverage, etc. But there are tools to work with.

What I am going to be curious to see is what does Joe Judge think of Golden Tate.


I think Tate and Shephard are very much like the type of receivers that the Patriots always like to have. Versitle and good blockers.
Without more legitimate firepower ....  
Manny in CA : 1/11/2020 4:22 pm : link

Defenses will continue to crowd the L.O.S. with 8 man fronts and effectively negate the Saquon Barkley threat.

Sure, the O-line can stand improvement, but most of it's problems are coaching and strategic

The defense needs talent help, but is not as bad as it appears. Again, most of it's problems are design and coaching
RE: Without more legitimate firepower ....  
Klaatu : 1/11/2020 4:34 pm : link
In comment 14773390 Manny in CA said:
Quote:

Defenses will continue to crowd the L.O.S. with 8 man fronts and effectively negate the Saquon Barkley threat.

Sure, the O-line can stand improvement, but most of it's problems are coaching and strategic

The defense needs talent help, but is not as bad as it appears. Again, most of it's problems are design and coaching


Sorry, bruh (bruh?) but the problems with the O-Line go way beyond coaching and strategy. Get real.

The defense blows. Their isn't one impact player at any level...one player that opposing offenses absolutely must account for.

Drafting Jeudy - or any WR, really - at #4 would be a criminal waste of a valuable resource. According to Sy'56, it's a very deep draft for WR's, and I wouldn't mind if the Giants drafted one somewhere on day three. But that's it.
one of my favourite Giants  
mpinmaine : 1/11/2020 4:36 pm : link
already
Well he's no Cody Latimer. That's for sure.  
Marty in Albany : 1/11/2020 5:46 pm : link


Thank God!
Tate's a gritty hard-nosed player.....  
Simms11 : 1/11/2020 5:53 pm : link
I think he'll love that aspect of him, but the celebratory antics on his 2at to the endzone may not be well received.
I don't see a true #1 in Slayton, but I think he is our version of DK  
Eric on Li : 1/11/2020 5:59 pm : link
Metcalf. Both are size/speed freaks (DK bigger obviously) and big plays waiting to happen but both also lack some of the finer points of the position - often dropping easy ones. They both also have insane catch radius' so even though they drop easy ones they will pull in deep balls and make tough extension catches that are really impressive.

with Tate/Shepard/Barkley/Engram/Smith working the middle of the field Slayton is a near perfect outside receiver to keep the safeties honest. Kind of like Mike Wallace I expect he will always be near the top of the league in YPC. Just not sure I see him ever becoming a 90+ catch guy who knows how to just get open all day.
RE: I'm  
Ivan15 : 1/11/2020 6:11 pm : link
In comment 14773359 Eric from BBI said:
Quote:
not sure he can be a #1. He has to become a more consistently productive player, get off press coverage, etc. But there are tools to work with.

What I am going to be curious to see is what does Joe Judge think of Golden Tate.


Three guys who play best off the line, Tate, Shepard, and I would include Engram. They are stealing snaps from each other. Tate was productive but missed or dropped some critical passes. Shepard tries hard but just misses the mark. Maybe if he was exclusively a slot receiver, he would be more consistent. I am not in favor of unloading Engram but would not offer a 5 year option until he proves he can stay on the field.

I hate to let anyone gone but I don’t see another solution to this problem otherwise
Beg to differ, Klaatu ...  
Manny in CA : 1/11/2020 6:15 pm : link

Dave Gettleman's "hog-mollie" dream for the O-line is commendable, it's the implementation of what it can do that is incompatible. He goes out and hires two WCO coaches in a row; hires Hal Hunter as O-line coach: has one vet stand-and-deliver QB, drafts another one; all the time he expects his O-line elephants to be nimble and lithe.

The defense is young and will improve. Lawrence , Tomlinson are already very good, additional top-tier DE will make this line-up ver formidable.

Hopefully, Joe Judge will see that there is talent on this team, it's just been mis-placed, mis-coached and mis-directed. When he talks about placing pressure on the opponent, he gives me hope.

Woohoo, Klaatu...  
BlueLou'sBack : 1/11/2020 9:04 pm : link
Yeah he's surprised me too. He played much more consistently than his college highlights tape portrayed. Word among several team beats is that he is darn sharp.

His measurables across all the pajama warrior drills (except bench pressing) were outstanding: 40, 3 cone, short shuttle, vertical and long jumps, and he's got long arms and a 10 inch hand span. He's fast, quick, and explosive.
RE: Without more legitimate firepower ....  
giantstock : 1/11/2020 9:11 pm : link
In comment 14773390 Manny in CA said:
Quote:

Defenses will continue to crowd the L.O.S. with 8 man fronts and effectively negate the Saquon Barkley threat.

Sure, the O-line can stand improvement, but most of it's problems are coaching and strategic

The defense needs talent help, but is not as bad as it appears. Again, most of it's problems are design and coaching


You can still run against an 8 man line. The playoffs have shown us that. Get an OLINE 1st befroe a WR or TE.
Agree with everything that's been said about our receivers.  
Manny in CA : 1/11/2020 11:59 pm : link

Tate vs. Shep - Both are slots; I hope Shep pushes Tate out (because he's younger), but that hasn't happened. Eventually, one of these guys will be "odd man out".

Slayton is not a true #1, but could be a good imitation if he had a true #2 on the team to keep the pressure off of him.

Engram was the logical choice, but was instead viewed as a failure because of his problems with blocking from the TE position. Judge may give him that chance, but his problem now is that he's coming off a major Lisfranc injury.

The Giants would most benefit from getting an elite WR, who can be a true #1. All other receiver son the team are JAGs.

The problems of not having an effective running game are ...  
Manny in CA : 1/12/2020 12:30 am : link

Multi-faceted (and not all related to the O-line)

(1) The O-line - they don't have a good pulling guard on the team Hernandez is a bull, but he's not fast or agile enough to be effective doing this. He belongs on the right side, but they already have a good player there in Zeitler. Bad move DG.

(2) The QB is rarely under center, meaning on run plays, he's handing the ball to a man who is STANDING STILL, (zero play-action gives the defense immediate advantage.

(3) The team does not feature a good blocking tight end, to help the run game.

(4) There is no dual receiver threat that will discourage double-teams and crowding the L.O.S.

The problems start at the top (the GM); no clear goal and identity, just whatever may stick to the wall. Joe Judge faces a monumental task correcting the thinking and design flaws that are rampant on this team



The Giants Super Bowl winning teams  
Reese's Pieces : 1/12/2020 3:54 am : link
didn't have much Hall of Fame punch at wide receiver.

Names like Stacey Robinson, Lionel Manuel, Bobby Johnson, Mark Ingram, Steven Baker, Steven Smith, Amani Toomer, Nicks, Cruz, Manningham.

And of course Plax.
Back to the Corner