The 2022 season was a shocking one for the New York Giants but in all the best ways. In the first season under the new regime of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, the team far exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations.
Many people projected the Giants to win four or five games and be in the running for a top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Instead, they went 9-7-1 during the regular season, earning a Wild Card spot and even winning a playoff game, defeating the Minnesota Vikings during Super Wild Card Weekend.
Their run was stopped in the Divisional Round by the Super Bowl runner-up, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a disappointing fashion. New York lost the game 38-7, getting a dose of reality about just how much further the team has to go when it comes to competing with upper-echelon teams.
This season, it will be time for Schoen to get to work on getting the Giants closer to that level. He did an excellent job last offseason and during the season finding upgrades without many assets to use; this season, he has money to spend and is expected to be aggressive in seeking upgrades.
One of the biggest areas of need is the wide receiver position. The team’s leading receiver in 2022 was Darius Slayton, who was nearly released before the regular season. Richie James Jr., a San Francisco 49ers castoff that spent the majority of his time as a return man, tied for the team lead in receptions with Saquon Barkley.
If the Giants want to truly get the most out of Daniel Jones, should he be retained this offseason, they need to upgrade at wide receiver. One player that they could target is DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals.
Hopkins is reportedly being made available for trade this offseason as the Cardinals are ready to go in a different direction. What could it cost to acquire him? A hypothetical trade was put together by Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report and he believes the Giants offering a third-round pick in exchange for Hopkins would get the deal done.
While some people may see that as too low of a price, there is a lot that goes into it. Hopkins remains dominant when on the field, catching 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. But, therein lies the problem, as he has failed to stay on the field the last two seasons.
Hopkins played in only nine games in 2022 because of a six-game suspension and injury. That followed up a 10-game campaign in 2021. The injury concerns are legitimate, which will knock down his value. He is reportedly seeking a new contract, which will lower the cost to acquire him as well.
If the Giants can get him for a third-round pick, it is a no-brainer deal to make. Given the improvements that were made last season, adding a bonafide star to the wide receiver group would help take things to the next level for Big Blue.
