With a glaring need for a second wide receiver, the New York Giants figure to be active in looking for one in free agency. It seems clear now that Rueben Randle, who never really emerged as reliable option, will leave via free agency. One receiver the Giants should have on their radar is Rishard Matthews.
Matthews, a former seventh-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins, is coming off of a career year that saw him catch 43 passes for 662 yards and four touchdowns in just 11 games. He suffered multiple cracked ribs last season which ended his campaign, but he will be fully healthy for all offseason activities.
He has the ability to turn a short pass into a long gain and would fit nicely in Ben McAdoo’s offense. His size, listed at 6-foot and 217 pounds, and speed would make him an ideal option to line up opposite Odell Beckham. More importantly, he might be just scratching the surface of his talent.
The Giants need to spend money this offseason to fill the gaping holes that years of terrible drafts have left on this team. Matthews seems tailor-made for the Giants in that he has the size, speed and upside that they tend to look for in free agents. More importantly, he might be affordable which is key for the Giants. Despite having copious amounts of cap space, they will need that in order to fix their league-worst defense.
The Giants could offer Matthews a four-year deal just south of $20 million and still have plenty of money left over to address other needs. Matthews still has his best football ahead of him, and the Giants love to add players with upside in free agency. Pay for production you might get and not what another team received. Matthews would fit perfectly in the Giants’ offense.
