The Giants made a pair of moves designed to boost the effectiveness of their passing game this offseason when they signed wide receiver Brandon Marshall and drafted tight end Evan Engram.
Any boost will require the two new targets to develop a rapport with quarterback Eli Manning that leads to Manning looking their way once the regular season gets underway. On Monday, Manning reiterated that he’s looking forward to Marshall providing the big target the team hasn’t had since Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg and that he’s steadily building chemistry with both players.
“We’re doing some good stuff, Brandon and I, getting on the same page,” Manning said, via ESPN.com. “Every day there’s something new that comes up though. A route here, a concept, just getting on the same timing. You can kind of talk about everything, but you’ve got to get in as many live reps, one-on-ones, get running different routes, getting on the same timing with things will be good. Same with Evan. He’s making some plays, doing a lot of good things, but the more one-on-ones, the more situations, different things come up every practice. There’s something to learn from it every day.”
Questions about the wisdom of the Giants’ decision to largely stand pat on the offensive line will remain until the regular season is underway and a repeat of last year’s struggles could limit their offensive output. If that bet up front pays off, though, the talent and depth of the receiving group provides ample reason to expect more points on the scoreboard this time around.