N.Y Giants Need Anquan Boldin with Plaxico Burress Gone

"The New York Giants trade their first-round selection, and the rights to the New Orleans Saints second-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft to the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Anquan Boldin."

It sounds like a lot to give up, I know. But with Plaxico Burress being cut, Giants fans need some good news. Doing whatever it takes to secure a talent like Anquan Boldin will make everyone forget about Plax.

Cutting Burress, while sad, was expected. It looks increasingly like he'll serve some jail time, as well as a league suspension. Keeping him around just isn't the Giants style and this will allow Plax a chance to clear his problems and start fresh.

Now it's time to move on and replace the man who has been the biggest receiving threat for the Giants since, well since forever. And that's going to take a bold, or dare I say Boldin move.

At 6-foot-5, with long arms and great hands, Plax was a nightmare in the red zone for defensive backs and coordinators alike. Finding guy like him is going to be next to impossible so the Giants shouldn't even bother.

A lot of people are talking about drafting a Percy Harvin, or some other rookie but that wouldn't do any more than a crap shoot. Remember James Hardy, the 6-foot-5 specimen the Buffalo Bills picked in the first round last year?

Instead of red zone production, all they got out of him was a big red face. You never know what your getting with a rookie, no matter how good he looks running around in shorts.

Hence the case for Boldin. First, he's a proven commodity and although not the same kind of player as Plax, he's one of the most prolific receivers in modern NFL history over his first six years in the league.

Second, he brings a whole new dimension to the Giants passing attack, giving them a Hall of Fame type possession receiver for the first time in team history. He's tough, athletic, runs great routes, has great hands, and runs well after the catch.

Here's how Boldin's numbers stack up against some other receivers you might have heard of over their first six years in the league:

                    Rec        Yd            Avg             TD           Gms        Rec/gm


A.Bouldin        502       6496        12.9         40          80          6.3


J. Rice           446       7866        17.9         79          92          4.8


M. Harrison     522       7078        13.4         62         92          5.7


T. Owens       412        6170       15.0         59         92          4.5

   
R. Moss         525       8374        13.3         77         96           5.5


P. Burress      337       5378        15.8         29         71           4.7

Not bad company and as you can see Boldin measures up favorably against them all.

Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, Dominik Hixon, Mario Manningham, and Boldin would make a pretty formidable stable of wide receivers, all with varying and complementary skills.

This is the Giants' moment, and they should make it real with a serious play for Boldin. With 11 draft picks this year, five of which are in the first 100 picks, they have the assets to make this trade a reality.

So now is the time to drop the talk about Chad Johnson, or which rookie they should draft and get serious. This is a once in a lifetime chance, and for a team that has few other glaring holes and is within striking distance of another Super Bowl, it seems like a no brainer.

The Cards are probably asking a ton, which is understandable. But when you have the chance to add a once-in-a decade talent to your team, and you have the ammunition to pull it off without mortgaging your future, you should go for it.