New York Giants Will Tye Poised For Breakout
New York Giants tight end Will Tye looks ready to break out after strong performances during the spring.
The New York Giants tight end position got crushed by injuries in 2015. The top three tight ends they went into the season with, Larry Donnell, Daniel Fells and Jerome Cunningham, all missed time throughout the season. Donnell and Fells both suffered season-ending injuries, forcing the Giants to dig deep for healthy bodies.
One player they found was a local product in Will Tye. Tye went to Stonybrook University and was undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. While people will see Stonybrook and believe he isn’t as talented as some of the other players, he was actually recruited originally by Florida State, so he has top flight talent.
Tye was pressed into duty with the injuries occurring, and took full advantage of the opporrunity given to him. He finished the season with 42 receptions for 464 yards in 13 games, adding three touchdowns and 23 first downs.
More from New York Giants
- Caesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!
- When will the New York Giants’ First Win Come?
- New York Giants Look Horrible in Loss to 49ers
- New York Giants to Play an Injured 49ers Team Sunday
- New York Giants: Breaking Down the Devonta Freeman Signing
Tye really came on the last seven games of the season, catching 32 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns, making him one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL over that course of time.
As a result, there is some hype surrounding Tye this offseason. Will he be able to repeat his production from his rookie season, or will he suffer from the dreaded sophomore slump. With Donnell looking healthy and ready to reclaim his spot, there is a chance that Tye could slide down the depth chart.
But, Tye does not look ready to relinquish that starting spot he was given last season. According to Giants.com John Schmeelk, Tye has been outstanding thus far this offseason and looks ready to take and hold onto that starting job heading into the season. Here is what he had to say about Tye’s work in the offseason when asked about which Giants player had the best spring.
"I’m going to go with a real sleeper and go with Will Tye. I thought he did a wonderful job all of OTA’s and minicamps adjusting his body to make difficult catches. He caught everything that came in his direction and showed remarkable consistency for a second-year player."
Tye will have to hold off Donnell in training camp, as he was in position to be a breakout player at this time last year. He was unable to take advantage of the opportunity; will Tye be able to make the most of his?
Eli Manning has always used his tight ends, and despite not having an experienced option last season he stilled targeted them rather often. Being in his second season, Tye has a chance to really cement himself atop the Giants depth chart at the position and develop a rapport with Manning.
Next: Grading and Ranking New York Giants Positional Groups
Tight ends were targeted 129 times last season by Manning, an extraordinary number given what he was working with. Now that everyone has had a chance to work together and develop chemistry, there is a chance that number increases this season and Tye will be the biggest beneficiary.