Releasing Plaxico Burress: How The Giants Can Fill The Void

(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

Looking at the offensive side of the football, the Giants do need help at the wide receiver position. Every team has a window to win in the NFL and that window is open for the Giants. Some people argue that the Giants should develop the receivers they have in a solid receiving corps, but lets look at the current wide receivers of the Giants:

Steve Smith - The best wide receiver and route runner on the New York Giants. He has formed a bond with Eli Manning which can be seen on third down. He is Eli's favorite target on third down. He is already a great receiver in the slot and has the potential to be a very solid No. 2 receiver.

Domenik Hixon - Speedster who still needs to work on catching the football (remember the touchdown he dropped in the Philadelphia game). He needs to learn how to run routes with more precision. However, he can stretch the field with his speed.

David Tyree - We all remember him for "The Catch" in Super Bowl XLII. But, that's the only thing we remember him for. He has never had more that 20 receptions in one season and has never been a frequent contributor to the offense.

Mario Manningham - The problem with Mannigham is his lack of NFL play. Based on his time and Michigan he has a great burst of the line and can create separation. He has good hands and runs routes well. However, he is inconsistent and lacks the size to become the red zone threat the Giants need.

Sinorice Moss - He's got plenty of speed, there is no doubting that. However, he has yet to make an impact on the Giants. That may be due to Eli Manning's lack of accuracy in his throws. A small speedster needs to have the QB lead him with his throws so receiver can run after the catch. He has not been able to create the kind of separation needed in order to successful with a QB like Eli.

Looking at all of these receivers, I do not see a true No.1 receiver or a red zone threat. Kevin Boss did lead the team in receiving touchdowns, but he is not going to create the match-ups the Giants need to be consistently dominant in the red zone.

Eli Manning

Regardless of what the Giants do with their receiving corps, Eli Manning needs to improve drastically. He can no longer throw the ball in a general area and how that his wide receiver makes a play. Without that tall deep threat, look for the Giants to employ more short crossing routes to utilize the speed of those receivers. He needs to develop that accuracy that allows his smaller, faster wide receivers. That will give his receivers the ability to run after the catch and create big plays that way. Eli also needs to develop his throwing strength and his spiral. In the winds of the Meadowlands, Eli can not let his passes get knocked down or carried by the wind. The only way to prevent that is by getting a tighter spiral on the ball. If I was Chris Palmer, the Giants QB Coach, that would be the most important thing to work on.

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