Breaking: Giants set to Sign 1,000-yard WR to help Daniel Jones ‘Realize His Potential’
Getting Daniel Jones to reach his full potential is going to cost the New York Giants more than the $160 million they paid the quarterback last offseason. No. 8 needs help, somebody like two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver Tee Higgins.
The Giants should sign the Cincinnati Bengals’ wideout in 2024 NFL free agency, according to Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report. Gagnon believes sticking with Jones and signing Higgins is a “half-measure,” but still a more realistic way for the Giants to solve their issues at QB: “Stick with Jones, sign Tee Higgins in hopes that he’ll help Jones realize his potential. Throw some more money at the problem! It’s better than nothing, even if a half-measure.”
As Gagnon also pointed out, keeping Jones as the starter would allow the Giants “to bolster elsewhere with what’s likely to be a top-10 draft pick.” That’s an argument also endorsed by the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, who believes Big Blue might wait to use one of two second-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft to find quarterback help, the way the Philadelphia Eagles did to select Jalen Hurts in 2020.
Pausing the search for a new QB1, while also signing Higgins, would mean the Giants finally fix a longstanding problem at receiver. Higgins could become the go-to target on the perimeter Jones needs, even though the former has endured a tough season with the Bengals in 2023.
Tee Higgins Primed for Bounce-Back Campaign in ’24
This year has been far removed from the back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns Higgins tallied in 2021 and ’22. Injuries haven’t helped, with the 24-year-old missing time with rib and hamstring problems.
Higgins has made just six starts and a mere 23 catches this season, but he’s still got traits the Giants need. Namely, the ability to stretch the field.
No. 5 is averaging 12.1 yards per catch, but what’s interesting is how those gains are made. Higgins averages 7.7 yards before catch per reception, but he’s gained 119 of his 328 yards after the catch, according to Pro Football Reference.
He showed what he can do after the catch during his best game this season, an eight-catch, 110-yard effort against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9. Higgins’ production was highlighted by All Bengals writer Mike.
Turning short catches into long gains is the foundation of what the Giants try to achieve through the air. It’s why head coach Brian Daboll has favored small, slot-style wide receivers like Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard and Parris Campbell.
Higgins is more of a physical specimen at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds. His size is useful in the red zone, like for this touchdown grab against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.
Signing Higgins would give the Giants the best of both worlds. He possesses the after-catch skills of Robinson, but is as much of a vertical burner as Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt, while also being an equal physical mismatch to Isaiah Hodgins.
Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen could essentially replace several under-performing receivers with one marquee option. They would also leave themselves prime draft capital to fix another faltering area of Jones’ supporting cast.
Giants Can Use Draft to Fix Line in Front of Daniel Jones
They may be on a two-game winning streak, but the 4-8 Giants are still likely to hold a top-10 draft pick. It will put them within striking distance of the best offensive linemen in the class.
Somebody like Penn State tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu could replace struggling right tackle Evan Neal. Or else, Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, who plays”with pristine technique on and through contact with excellent pad level, balance and body control to steer, sustain and finish blocks consistently” according to Gagnon’s colleague Brandon Thorn.
Jones took 30 sacks before tearing his ACL against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, so he’d welcome either Alt or Fashanu. Either way, the Giants can’t leave the next draft without bolstering a feeble line with at least one top-end pick.
Combining that strategy with signing Higgins off the veteran market would give a healthy-again Jones no excuses if he still struggled to live up to his contract.
