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New York Giants looking to upgrade at receiver in NFL Draft

By Patrick Schmidt

Oct 10, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of New York Giants helmet before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of New York Giants helmet before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Giants are taking a cautious approach to the recovery from a devastating knee injury to former Pro Bowl receiver Victor Cruz.

Before Odell Beckham Jr took the Giants and the NFL by storm in a sensational rookie season that saw him make the Pro Bowl, it was Victor Cruz who was the top target for Eli Manning in New York. After Cruz suffered a nasty injury, the Giants are looking to upgrade the position.

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Cruz suffered a gruesome knee injury on Sunday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles and was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon and Giants general manager Jerry Reese is taking a conservative approach to his recovery.

“When a guy had a big injury like Victor had, you can’t put all your eggs in his basket,” Reese said at the NFL Combine, via NFL.com. “Our doctors say he looks good, and I see him down in the training room working out with our doctors and he looks good. Until you get out there, though, his game is quickness. Until you get out there and move around, you never know how he’s going to recover from that.”

The Giants aren’t counting out a return to the form he showed before the injury when he had 3.636 yards and 23 touchdowns in the previous three seasons, but they have to be smart and can’t expect him to immediately be the player he was before the injury.

So could the Giants spend another high pick on a wide receiver after hitting a home run with the Beckham pick at No. 12 last year?

“We’ll upgrade receiver,” he said. “We’ll try and upgrade that spot as well. If Victor is back, Odell and Rueben (Randle) … but if there’s a good receiver, we’ll draft him.”

Offensive line and defense may be the priority in the first round, but this year’s group of receiver may be as talented as last year’s historically dominant class with three 1,000 yard rookie pass catchers.

With Amari Cooper, Kevin White, Devante Parker, Jaelen Strong and Dorial Green-Beckham showing well at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, the Giants could add insurance for Cruz and give Manning another young dynamic receiver to pair opposite Beckham.

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