Five wide receivers Giants should consider

There’s Odell Beckham and then what, exactly?

This is one of the key quandaries for the Giants in this offseason. As GM Jerry Reese embarks on yet another rebuild, he knows he has one building block in the passing game in Beckham, the wunderkind receiver who topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons.

But with Rueben Randle set to hit free agency and veteran Victor Cruz still an uncertainty two years after a serious knee injury, the club has few sure things. That means they could hit this year’s free agent market exploring receiver options.

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Here are several names they could consider in free agency:

MOHAMED SANU

Sanu spent his first four seasons with the Bengals, but there’s reportedly little chance that Cincinnati will re-sign the 6-2, 210-pound receiver. The Giants would offer him a homecoming of sorts since he starred at Rutgers University, and according to CBS Sports, the club is interested in the receiver.

Sanu’s size could make him enticing, and while he lacks big-play ability, he’s shown himself to be a solid possession target. He’s versatile, too, with experience as a return man. He also saw time at quarterback at Rutgers and with the Bengals — he’s completed 100 percent of his pass attempts in the NFL (5-for-5) and two of them have gone for touchdowns — and combined with the versatility of Beckham, could feed plenty of gadget plays in Ben McAdoo’s playbook.

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ALSHON JEFFERY

The Bears receiver would likely be the dream candidate for Giants fans, and there has been some speculation that Chicago might not re-sign the big target. Then again, after the club traded Brandon Marshall away for peanuts last year, it seems unlikely that they’ll let the two-time, 1,000-yard receiver walk in free agency.

At 6-3, 216 pounds, Jeffery offers a massive frame, and he’d give Eli Manning an instant red zone weapon opposite Beckham. But he’s coming off an injury-plagued 2015 season, and he had his conditioning questioned last year. Would the Giants, already among the league’s most injury-prone franchises, want to take on that kind of player?

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KAMAR AIKEN

Aiken put together a career year with the Ravens last season, catching 75 passes for 944 yards in his third year, serving as the lone reliable weapon for an injury-riddled passing game, and there are signs that Baltimore is interested in re-signing him. The Ravens should bring Aiken back, too, in large part because they lack proven receiving weapons.

But if he does hit the market, he’s another intriguing option for the Giants, and in many ways, he fits the profile of the kind of player Reese has chased in previous years. He’s just 26, his best years seem ahead of him, and he has intriguing measurables; at 6-2, 216 pounds, he has enough speed to keep defenses honest.

RISHARD MATTHEWS

The ex-Dolphin is another receiver who fits Reese’s profile for free agent targets. At 26, he’s young, he has a solid frame (6-0, 217 pounds), and he’s shown an ability to be productive when healthy, having racked up 43 catches for 662 yards in 11 games last season. If not for a rib injury, he might have produced even better numbers.

Matthews could be attainable too. There are rumblings that Miami does want to re-sign him, but the club will also wants to give heavy playing time and targets to 2015 first-round selection DeVante Parker next season.

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TRAVIS BENJAMIN

The Cleveland Browns’ electric receiver piled up 966 receiving yards in his third year, and he’d offer a dangerous field-stretching complement to Beckham if he hits the market. At 5-10, he’s not a big target, though, and he might lack the versatility to win one-on-one battles outside.

But Benjamin offers upside as a return man, too, and he can be a threat in the slot. Don’t rule this out, especially after the emphasis Reese placed on special teams impact a year ago in free agency.

If the Giants miss on the bigger names in free agency, he could be an intriguing option, providing relief for both Beckham and return man Dwayne Harris.

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