On Friday, the New York Giants found a familiar reinforcement on offense by signing free agent wide receiver Cole Beasley. Formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, Beasley reunites with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who was Beasley’s offensive coordinator in Northern New York. Beasley’s last stop was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a stint that ended with him supposedly retiring after 11 years.
Beasley’s career thus far
Cole Beasley was a former quarterback who ended his high school career as a two-star recruit. Eventually, he accepted a scholarship with Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a converted wide receiver. He ended his college career with 173 receptions in his last two seasons.
Eventually, he went undrafted in the 2012 NFL draft. He was picked up by his hometown Dallas Cowboys and his career softly took off. After a quiet rookie year, he found ways to contribute in Dallas as a valued third-down option for then quarterback Tony Romo, and as a valued return man. In the Cowboys’ last playoff victory, Beasley was a big contributor, nabbing four catches – three for first downs – along with a fumble recovery in a critical moment.
After Dallas, Beasley headed to Buffalo and became an important weapon for quarterback Josh Allen. He accumulated 2456 yards in 48 games.
What Cole Beasley brings to the Giants
At this point in his career, Beasley is 34 years old and was near retirement. His route savvy is of value, along with his sturdiness, considering he’s played a solid 153 career games in 11 seasons. On top of that, Beasley boasts the unique familiarity with Daboll, giving him an understanding of how Daboll approaches the week-to-week against opposing defenses. Additionally, he’s a veteran presence in a receiver room whose oldest players are currently Sterling Shepard and Jamison Crowder.
Speaking of Shepard and Crowder, Beasley is a known slot option, so he provides insurance behind not only Shepard, who is coming off of an Achilles tear, but the young guns who occupy the slot often in Wan’Dale Robinson, Parris Campbell, and Jeff Smith.
It remains to be seen if Beasley can be any more than a camp body who is eventually cut or stashed on the practice squad. But his short area ability with a quarterback like Daniel Jones, who needs veteran intelligence on the field at receiver, may be a great stash at the backend of the roster.