Before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wide receiver DeSean Jackson was reportedly a target of the New York Giants.
Notorious New York Giants-killer DeSean Jackson is finally out of the NFC East. After splitting nine seasons between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins, Jackson signed a three-year, $33.5 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.
However, the team Jackson once tormented (“Miracle at the New Meadowlands” anyone?) were reportedly in on his services. According to Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times, the New York Giants had some interest in the 30-year old wideout.
New York is more than familiar with Jackson’s abilities. In 16 career games against Big Blue, he has registered 63 catches, 1,051 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns.
Even after the addition of Brandon Marshall, the Giants were still in pursuit of Jackson. Despite limited cap space, New York was pushing right up until he chose to join Tampa Bay.
Adding a home run threat receiver with the ability to burn opposing secondaries over the top would surely open things up even further for quarterback Eli Manning in the passing game. Though he only caught a pedestrian 56 passes last season, he took those receptions for 1,005 yards with an impressive average of 17.9 yards per catch.
Perhaps general manager Jerry Reese figured with the pricey market for offensive tackles that adding more playmakers would be the way to go.
A receiving corps of Jackson, Marshall, Sterling Shepard and Odell Beckham Jr. sounds more like a fantasy football lineup than an NFL team’s depth chart. Unfortunately, Giants’ fans will be left wondering what damage could have been done with such a lineup. Jackson’s eventual contract with the Bucs was way out of the realm of what New York could have offered him.