The Giants have finalized a four-year, $41MM extension with wide receiver Sterling Shepard, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Prior to the extension, Shepard was set to hit the open market after the 2019 season. 
[RELATED: Latest On Giants, Josh Rosen]
Shepard, the team’s longest-tenured receiver, is now the club’s highest-paid player at the position. It’s a larger than expected deal for Shepard, especially since his skill set mirrors that of new acquisition Golden Tate.
By the same token, the Giants will be relying on Shepard even more now that Odell Beckham is out of the picture. He’ll look to build off of a career year in 2018 when he hauled in 66 receptions for 872 yards and four touchdowns. The 26-year-old spent most of the year in the slot, though he also lined up outside towards the end of the year while OBJ was sidelined.
The former 2016 second-round pick and Tate are set to headline the Giants’ WR depth chart with support from the recently re-signed Russell Shepard, Corey Coleman, Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer, and others.
He’s never been over a 1000 yards receiving. That’s worth $10m+? Add in a whopping 14 TD’s in 3 years. G-men are going backwards.
Uhhhh….they kinda had another receiver there who got thrown to a lot more than him….not that said receiver is gone, Shep will get more passes.
That same WR who missed 4 games in ’18 & just a few (x12) games the year before?
Sterling missed 5 games as well in 2017. He’s the #1 wr now and will have a new and hopefully competent QB in 2020….something he hasn’t seen yet in his time in NY.
Per Over the Cap, there are 21 receivers whose contracts average $10 million or more per year, including Tyler Lockett just above Shepherd’s $10.25 mil average and Devin Funchess on his one-year deal just below.
They are paying for his increased production in a bigger role going forward, not what he has already done. He goes over 1,000 yds this year, guaranteed.
Gettleman is the gift that keeps giving. They bring in Golden Tate who, like Shepherd, is another slot receiver and give Shepherd an extension. Beautiful! Now they still don’t have any outside wide receivers but, hey, Manning can’t throw to the outside anymore anyway with his arm. He just dinks and dunks down the middle. Thank you, Dave! Keep the hits coming. Eagles fans love you.
WHY?
Keep propping him up. They completely mishandled OBJ & Manning. Why not franchise and trade him last year and not have a cap hit? Poorly executed.
I think because prior to the extension they genuinely wanted to keep him long term. Things went sour during after the 2018 season. So they got rid of him. As for Sheppard, he would have been one of the top WRs available free agents next year and it would have cost more for the giants to resign him.
G-men going all in on short intermediate passes this season huh? Saquan gonna be a bust in fantasy with stacked boxes all game every game sheesh…
Shep is soft. Whenever season isn’t going their way, he’s “injured”. Not a fan. Not worth the money. Should’ve used him as trade bait during this full rebuild. Tate will produce better numbers and durability next season – mark my words!
Six games in three years over 100 yards (age 22-25).. Tate has 8 over the same span age 27-30.
Matthew Stafford vs. Eli Manning?