The New York Giants have decided to expand their air attack and bring back veteran wide receiver Russell Shepard for the 2019 season.
The other Shepard on the New York Giants has also made headlines.
Along with wide receiver Sterling Shepard receiving a four-year contract extension on Wednesday, Big Blue has also decided to bring back WR Russell Shepard. The latter announced the move via his Instagram page on Wednesday.
The Giants have made big changes to their wide receiving core. Along with these moves, Big Blue also signed WR Golden Tate to a four-year $37 million deal in March. This, of course, came after they traded star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. The Giants received a first-round pick (No. 17 overall), a third-round pick and safety Jabrill Peppers from Cleveland.
This will be Shepard’s seventh season in the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. It will mark his second year with the Giants.
In 2018, Shepard caught 10 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns through 12 games. He missed four games throughout the year due to neck and ankle injuries.
One of the touchdown receptions came on a 49-yard trick play against the Chicago Bears in which Beckham threw it to him off an end-around play. It was one of two touchdown passes thrown by Beckham on the year.
The former LSU Tiger also racked up eight combined tackles on special teams during the season.
Shepard will return to an offense where he’ll work alongside a talented group. He, Tate, Sterling Shepard, Bennie Fowler Jr., Cody Latimer, Corey Coleman, tight end Evan Engram and running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Eli Manning should have numerous options through the air.
Without Beckham, it’ll be interesting to see how this New York Giants offense fares next season. It actually looks like it could shape up to be a balanced attack and not just a Barkley-dominated set.
