Receiver Replacement

Bring Bodacious Braylon to Big Blue

The New York Giants were not the same football team without the agile Plaxico Burress on the field. The flabbergasting football feats Plaxico produced were prodigious. Number 17 was officially released from the team on Friday and now Jerry Reese has to fill the wide receiver hole hanging over the team. I whole-heartedly agreed with the decision to drop Burress. Reese left the door open for a happy return not long before Friday’s announcement. He and the Giants were more than willing to honor Plaxico’s remaining four year contract. The shallow Burress boasted a resounding resume and had everything going for him. He deserved the increased pay last off-season. But now, the misbehaving receiver and his greedy agent want compensation for last year’s missed playing time. Enough is enough. Plaxico took advantage of his star status and the team has every right to be angry. It was time for the Giants to move on, without the distraction of his off-field antics. Burress made a spectacle of the franchise by demonstrating his inability to stay out of trouble. The repeated suspensions and neglected meetings and practices became inexcusable and tiresome over the past few years. The reactionary result decisively disinfects the dark cloud in the clubhouse. His Giant teammates reportedly liked Burress but unfortunately must learn to trust a younger wideout or hope management drafts well this April.
Finding a replacement will be a giant task and pressing process for New York. You cannot teach an athlete size, and there are very few NFL players who can match Plaxico’s height and ability to catch passes. Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, and David Tyree are members of Tom Coughlin’s team with talent. Not one of them stands out as a number one go-to guy for Eli Manning.
Braylon Edwards of the Browns would be my choice for the Giants. He is an attractive option on the open market. Braylon is a play maker who is going into the last year of his contract. The five year player could be obtained via a trade and fill the spot vacated when Plaxico was passed on. The organization appears reluctant to part with first or third round draft picks in order to land Edwards now. Braylon could use a change of scenery and he’s communicated his desire to play in New York. In 2008, he accumulated 873 yards with only 3 touchdowns. The season before, he had a career year. Braylon ripped 1,289 yards with 16 touchdowns. The knock on Edwards are his dropped passes and inconsistency at the wideout position. However, Edwards did not have any fumbles last season. The Giants do not need him to be spectacular. They only need a solid receiving alternative to supplement the running game. Plaxico is a top 10 receiver. Edwards will never be elite but is a feasible replacement. He maybe ranks in the top 25 in the league. Braylon is 6’3” and 215 pounds but a more responsible football player than Plaxico could ever be. The 2005 number three overall draft pick has already been to the Pro Bowl. He plays the position well enough to learn the system, and is most effective in 1st or 2nd and long situations. Eli Manning will have to adjust and be willing to throw to his younger crop of receivers. I am really high on Edwards and would completely back a move to bring him to Big Blue this season.
The aspect Plaxico added was an opponent’s fear in covering the massive presence. He pressurized other players. Often he was double-teamed and the main focus of head coach’s pregame strategies. Edwards, or any of the other Giant receivers, do not exude fright. That was proven after Plaxico went down last winter and Manning was forced to pass the ball around. Hixon and Smith are both able to step up and will not go into shells. But they cannot be the main components because neither are deep threats. Moss is also considered in the mix and quietly and occasionally will catch some balls thrown his way. Hixon is better at short routes and Smith is quick, but better exploited in short-yard situations too. Hixon is exciting to watch but has questionable skills. He initially replaced Plaxico and handled the job as well as anybody could ask. Domenik made the Meadowlands his home and will have to be the new security blanket for Manning. Domenik starred at Akron and was primarily drafted by Denver as a return specialist. He’s a special teams ace and accrued numerous accomplishments in that area. Hixon has a take-charge attitude you admire in an athlete. Smith is similar in stance but a more polished player He has two years under his belt in New York. He already cemented himself in Giants history with a game changing catch during Superbowl XLII. Aside from the memorable 17 yard reception on 3rd and 11 late in the game, he also recorded 5 receptions for 50 yards. Savvy Smith begets flexibility and is a viable number two receiver. The Alaskan native caught 190 passes as a college player for the USC Trojans and I believe will have a breakout 2009.
Manningham was one of my favorite college players coming from Michigan, and he reminds me a lot of Edwards. Both were Wolverines; maybe that’s why. I just think Mario has more potential than he’s been given credit. The Ohio-born Mario appeared in 7 games last season and averaged 4.3 yards. Manning to Manningham should be the tandem announced by commentaries all around New York for years to come. Eli needs to take the time to make Mario fit in. Coughlin and his creative coordinators should infuse Manningham into the offensive plan. Tyree was the hero of the Superbowl over New England two years ago. His famous catch was a once-in-a-lifetime one, and I hesitate to consider him a consistent option for the Giants. If he returns, he is not going to see a lot passes but could bring depth to the team in long-yard situations. With Amani Toomer gone, the Giants do not have a veteran leader on the field offensively. Edwards could bring that leadership quality if the Giants were willing to take the risk in inquiring and acquiring him. He may not be the target on field Plaxico was, but it’s obvious the Giants are out of options. Manning can no longer have reservations about throwing to other players. Big Blue will have to model their game around a different player, or set of players. All that’s needed is to put the idea into practice this Spring and summer. It will take hard work but the team integrity will be better off for it.
If the Giants choose to wait until the April draft to snag a sleeper receiver, I like Percy Harvin. Harvin starred for the championship Gators and has speed, good hands and game-breaking knack. Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree is another option and probably will be the first at the WR position selected. Big Blue are sure to find a future receiver in this year’s rookie class with 10 draft picks on tap.

Parting points: Excellent page turner- Anything by Washington Irving