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The 2022 NFL season was a surprisingly good one for the New York Giants. The team went 9-7-1 en route to the first playoff appearance for the franchise since 2016, and they even won a playoff game when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 31-24, on the road in the Wild Card Round.
A lot of their success fell on the shoulders of first-year head coach Brian Daboll. The former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator looked like Vince Lombardi compared to their last three coaches, Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, and Joe Judge. That earned him NFL Coach of the Year honors in a really competitive field, with coaches like the Eagles’ Nick Sirianni, Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell, and Jaguars’ Doug Pederson.
Superstar running back Saquon Barkley returned to form as one of the NFL’s best running backs, and quarterback Daniel Jones improved tremendously, despite having a terrible receiving corps that wasn’t good to begin with, and was beat up all year.
One of those receivers who seemingly can’t stay healthy is Sterling Shepard. The 7th-year man out of Oklahoma has not played a full season since 2018, and has played just ten games in the last two season. This year, he had just 13 catches for 154 yards and one touchdown in three games, as he tore his ACL in week three against the Dallas Cowboys.
Shepard was a pending free agent for the New York Giants, and most thought he would move on, considering he just has not been able to stay on the field and the team was presumed to be looking to upgrading their pass-catchers.
But, Shepard and the Giants have come to terms on a deal.
Giants re-signing WR Sterling Shepard to one-year contract with $1.3 million base salary, per @RapSheethttps://t.co/BvgV9QPtXW pic.twitter.com/RDMLq83KxJ
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 13, 2023
According to reports, it includes a $125,000 per game active roster bonus, which could more than triple his salary if he plays a full 17 games. Overall, it’s probably a good move for the New York Giants, as Shepard has been a relatively productive player when he’s healthy, averaging over 50 yards per game. But, I’m sure the team will be looking for more at the wide receiver position.