The Giants WR situtation is very interesting going into training camp.

It is very the front office is seriously looking to upgrade the position with speed and athleticism and have alot of talented guys competing for what will be 6 or maybe 7 roster spots.

here is a reasonable analysis of our WR roster from bbi.com; what do you think

Wide Receivers:

Plaxico Burress is arguably the most talented receiver the Giants have had since Homer Jones in the late 1960’s. The Giants signed Burress as an unrestricted free agent in 2005. He was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Steelers. In three seasons with the Giants, Burress has caught 209 passes for 3,227 yards and 29 touchdowns in 47 regular-season games. In 2007, Burress managed one of his best seasons despite playing virtually the entire season with torn ligaments in his right ankle and a torn tendon in his left pinky. Burress actually originally hurt the ankle in training camp, missed most of camp and the preseason and rarely practiced all year. He sprained the MCL in his left knee before the Super Bowl. Burress’ combination of superb size and athleticism makes him a down-field receiving threat, forcing teams to often double-cover him. While not a blazer, he is a long strider who eats up yardage and can glide past defenders. His size, athleticism, and ability to adjust to the football allow him to make difficult catches even when well covered. Burress regularly makes highlight reel-type receptions. And he is capable of taking a short pass and turning it into a long touchdown. Burress does need to continue to work on his route running and he is guilty of the occasional dropped pass. Burress is an outstanding blocker for the running game. Very competitive.

The Giants’ all-time leading receiver, Amani Toomer completed his 12th season with the Giants by catching 59 passes for 760 yards (12.9 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. He also was the Giants’ leading receiver in the playoffs with 21 catches and three touchdowns. Toomer was moved from split end to flanker in 2005 when the Giants signed Plaxico Burress. He was placed on Injured Reserve in November 2006 with a torn ACL in his left knee, finishing that season with only 32 receptions for 360 yards. Toomer is a big receiver with good hands (though he dropped more than he usually does in 2007). Toomer is particularly adept at catching the ball near the sidelines while doing a marvelous job of keeping his feet in bounds. He is very experienced and an excellent route runner. Quarterbacks trust him. However, never a consistent deep threat, Toomer now rarely pressures defenses deep and lacks the quickness to create consistent separation on shorter routes.

Although Steve Smith missed the bulk of the 2007 season with a fractured scapula and a hamstring pull, he quickly gained the trust of the coaching staff and quarterback when he was healthy enough to play. Smith only played in five regular-season games, catching eight passes. But he was a major contributor in the playoffs with 14 pass receptions. Smith was drafted by the Giants in the 2nd round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has average size and he is not a blazer. However, Smith is a tough, productive receiver who knows how to change speeds and set up defenders. Quick and smooth. He reads defenses well, runs good routes, and has a feel for getting open. Smith can create separation on shorter routes with his burst out of cuts. He will go over the middle and work back to the quarterback. Smith adjusts well to the football and has good hands. Clutch player who is confident and dependable.

Sinorice Moss’ first two seasons with the Giants have been a disappointment. Moss’ rookie season was a virtual wash. A quad strain/tear that he suffered at the NFL Combine in February 2006 caused him to miss all of training camp, the preseason, and most of the regular season. With all of that missed time, it was no surprise that Moss only caught five passes in the six games that he played. In 2007, Moss was given every opportunity to win the third receiver position but could not do so when Steve Smith was healthy. Moss also had some injury issues with his back. In the playoffs, Moss was kept inactive. In 13 regular season games in 2007, including two starts, Moss caught 21 passes for 225 yards. Moss was selected in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Giants. Moss stood out at the Senior Bowl and was named game MVP. Sinorice is the brother of Redskins’ receiver Santana Moss. Moss is short, but he is a muscular, well-built receiver. He is fast and quick with excellent acceleration.

While David Tyree has made a few flashy plays at wide receiver in his first five seasons in the NFL (including the Super Bowl), he has made his pro career as one of the premier special teams players in the NFL, and was voted to the Pro Bowl for his special teams play in 2005. Tyree fractured his wrist during the 2007 preseason and missed the early part of the regular season. He finished the year with only four catches. In five seasons, despite quite a bit of playing time, he has only 54 catches, with his best season being 2006 when he had 19 catches and two touchdowns. Tyree has ordinary size, speed, quickness, and hands as a receiver. But he scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XLII and his other catch on the last-minute drive will go down as the greatest in Super Bowl history.

Mario Manningham was selected by the Giants in the 3rd round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was a two-year starter at Michigan. In 2007, Manningham caught 72 passes for 1,174 yards and 12 touchdowns. Manningham lacks ideal size - he needs to get bigger and stronger. He is a play-maker who makes plays in the clutch. He runs faster than he times and separates from defenders. Manningham is a smooth athlete who is quick in and out of his cuts. He runs good routes. Manningham has great body control and adjusts well to the football. Good hands. He runs well after the catch. Tough and competitive. He sometimes loses focus. Manningham was considered a first-round talent, but his Combine workout, past drug issues, and poor interviews (lied about previous drug use) caused his stock to drop. Some reports say he is moody and immature.

Domenik Hixon was claimed off of waivers from the Broncos by the Giants in October 2007. He only caught one pass for the Giants in 2007 but did return one kickoff for a 74-yard score. Hixon was originally drafted by the Broncos in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In college at Akron, Hixon played free safety his first two seasons and then wide receiver his last two seasons. He spent the 2006 season on Denver’s Injured/Non-Football Injury List with a left foot injury that he suffered before the draft. In four regular season games for Denver in 2007, Hixon struggled as a returner, averaging 22.8 yards per kickoff return and 4.6 yards per punt return. He did not catch a pass for the Broncos. Hixon has good size and is very fast, quick, and elusive. He is still raw and needs a lot of technique work. Hard worker.

Michael Jennings tore his Achilles’ tendon in the second preseason game of 2007 and was added to Injured Reserve after clearing waivers. Before the injury, Jennings saw a lot of reps with the first team and looked to be a much improved player. He had finally made the Giants’ active roster in 2006 after spending time on the Giants’ Practice Squad in 2004 and 2005. Jennings finished the 2006 season with five catches for 49 yards and two rushes for 12 yards. Jennings, a track star at Florida State, did not play college football. He was originally signed by the 49ers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2004, he spent time on the Practice Squads of the Patriots and Ravens (in addition to the Giants). While Jennings lacks ideal size, he is extremely fast and quick. He also has experience in the return game and scored on a punt return against the Ravens during the 2006 preseason.

Brandon London was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft and spent the 2007 season on the team’s Practice Squad. London was an All-Atlantic 10 performer in 2006 as he led UMass in receiving with 50 catches for 781 yards (15.6 yards per catch) and 9 touchdowns. London has a lot to learn as he comes from a small-school program, but he has a very nice combination of size and speed. London also has good hands.

Todd Lowber spent two stints on the Giants’ Practice Squad in 2007. He was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Vikings waived him in late August. Lowber did not play football in college (Ramapo College) or high school. He is a very good athlete with excellent size and exceptional speed.

D.J. Hall was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2008 NFL Draft. Hall was a four-year starter at the University of Alabama. Productive, Hall finished the 2007 season with 67 receptions for 1,005 yards and 6 touchdowns. Hall combines excellent size and athleticism. He plays faster than he times and can separate and get deep. Not physical, he has some issues with press coverage. He needs to improve his route running. Hall adjusts well to the football and has good hands. Elusive after the catch. He makes plays in the clutch. Hall has a reputation for not being a great worker. Gives a good effort as a blocker.

Craphonso Thorpe was claimed off of waivers by the Giants in June 2008 from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs released him in early September 2005 and he spent the 2005 season on Kansas City’s Practice Squad. The Chiefs waived him again in August 2006. He then spent time on the Practice Squads for Houston and Detroit. The Lions waived him in April 2007 and he was then claimed by the Colts. He spent time on the Practice Squad and active roster of the Colts in 2007. The Jaguars signed him in early June 2008 before waiving him in the middle of the month. In five games with the Colts in 2007, Thorpe caught 12 passes for 70 yards. He also returned 15 kickoffs (21.2 yards per return average) and six punts (5.2 yards per return average). Thorpe is a good athlete with good speed and hands.

One thing that stands out to me is the sheer number of guys with exceptional hands, speed and athleticism.

I would not be surprised at all if these guys ended up filling our kick return and punt return duties.

One thought about Craphonso Thorpe..


He has spent time on the Jags, Colts and Lions rosters; all have been quite deep with talent at WR.

All know a bit about WRs (even Houston)