The New York Giants could potentially have over $60 million in salary cap space this offseason. As it stands right now they are already north of $50 million, but they have a lot of holes to fill with just over half of their roster needing new contracts or to be replaced. One major need for the Giants is a second wide receiver, and the market should have plenty of options for them to choose from. One potential free agent the Giants should look at is Marvin Jones.
Jones is coming off back-to-back solid years and could look to capitalize in a free agent market that is a little short on No. 1 receivers. Jones is arguably the best No. 2 wideout option on the market this offseason. In 2013 he caught 51 passes for 712 yards and 10 touchdowns. He missed 2014 with an ankle injury, but this past season he caught 65 passes for 816 yards and four touchdowns in a Cincinnati Bengals offense that featured Tyler Eifert and A.J. Green.
He would be a perfect replacement for Rueben Randle who is also a free agent and unlikely to return to the Giants. Of Jones’ 65 catches, 33 were for first downs. He is a chain mover who gets open in tight spaces and gets extra yards after the catch. He is also more consistent than Randle, who would have a big game followed by a disappearing act.
Size matters to the Giants, and they had drafted Randle based on his size and speed package which Jones also possesses. They are both listed as 6-foot-2, with Randle being a little bigger in the weight department. Jones is a better route runner than Randle and a better blocker in the run game, two elements the Giants need. All too often it seemed as if Randle and Eli Manning weren’t even working from the same playbook as Randle failed to put up much of a fight on contested catches.
The Giants need to upgrade at their second wide receiver position and Victor Cruz, if healthy, would have been perfect in that role. But he has been away for almost two years and can’t be depended on right now. Jones would give the Giants that secondary option they need. The only question is how much he will command on the open market. There could be a team out there willing to overpay him as their primary wide receiver. Until he is priced out of their range, the Giants should be all in on Jones.
