Giants veteran WR could lose roster spot amidst injury struggles

The New York Giants have a slew of wide receivers competing for roster spots this summer. New York currently has thirteen receivers on their roster, meaning they will need to make a significant number of cuts prior to the start of the regular season. Within that crowded group, fighting for a spot is veteran WR Cole Beasley.

Beasley signed with Big Blue this offseason to compete among the rest of the team’s slot receivers. After an impressive outing in the Giants’ first preseason game, Beasley was sidelined with a leg injury in Week 2. Now, entering the final week of the preseason, Beasley’s injury could cost him a spot on the roster as New York must soon begin trimming their squad down to 53 players.

Cole Beasley’s injury could cost him a roster spot

Beasley’s injury has paved the way for other wide receivers to make their case for roster spots. Without being able to hit the practice and preseason fields, Beasley’s opportunity to win a spot on the depth chart is slipping away.

Most NFL teams carry six wide receivers during the regular season. The Giants’ however, could carry up to eight receivers this year. With 13 receivers on the roster, trimming all the way down to six will be a tall task. But holding seven or eight seems more realistic.

Among the players presumably locked into roster spots are Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell, and Sterling Shepard. That seventh (or potentially eighth) roster spot is up for grabs with Beasley competing alongside Jamison Crowder, Collin Johnson, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Kalil Pimpleton, and Jaydon Mickons to lock themselves onto the roster. Beasley will need to get healthy as soon as possible to prove he is a more viable option than the other five players he is competing with this preseason.

Can the Giants make space for Beasley?

The rise of other players, such as Brice Ford-Wheaton, could cost Beasley his spot on the team. Ford-Wheaton has stood out in the preseason, raising his stock and giving him a solid chance of sneaking his way onto the final roster. But in order for New York to give him that spot, they will likely need to part ways with Beasley.

Inversely, keeping Beasley would provide the Giants with a far more dependable receiving option than they would have in Ford-Wheaton as a rookie. The tools are there for Ford-Wheaton to be a great NFL player, but Beasley is already a great NFL player. He could provide stability and consistency to Big Blue’s receiving corps.

Ford-Wheaton could be a player New York attempts to stash on their practice squad; however, they may fear the possibility of other teams stealing him off the waiver wire. Ultimately, it feels like a two-man race for the Giants’ final wide receiver spot. New York will need to decide whether they want to go with the upside in Ford-Wheaton, or bank on reliability with Beasley.