New York Giants wide receiver Russell Shepard will not be returning to Big Blue for the upcoming 2020 campaign.
After the New York Giants decided to bring back one of their receivers (Cody Core), they seem to have parted ways with another.
On Tuesday, wideout Russell Shepard posted to his Instagram account that he’ll be leaving the Giants. Shepard will officially become a free agent when the new league year begins on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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Shepard played the 2019 season on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million, having earned a base salary of $975,000.
The 29-year-old originally joined the Giants when he signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with them prior to the 2018 campaign. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 but was cut prior to his inaugural regular season.
Shepard has also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013-16) and the Carolina Panthers (2017). Prior to entering the NFL, Shepard played four seasons (48 total games) with LSU as both a running back and wide receiver.
During his collegiate career, he carried the ball 104 times for 716 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. He additionally recorded 58 receptions for 570 yards and five scores through the air.
Shepard only played three games for the Giants this past year before hitting injured reserve with a foot sprain. In that span, he caught just three balls on eight targets for 25 yards. He also spent some time on special teams (36 total snaps).
It’s unclear where Shepard goes from here, but after a pair of seasons, his Giants tenure officially comes to a close.