New York Giants: Dwayne Harris ready to shine

One of the first moves the New York Giants made in the offseason was bringing in former Dallas Cowboy Dwayne Harris.

The move was met with a lot of initial criticism because of the cost it took to sign Harris away from the divisional rival.

According to Darin Grant of NBC Sports, the Giants signed Harris to a five-year $17.5 million contract. Although the cost to acquire Harris was hefty one, it’s hard to argue with the value Harris brings to the Giants.

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On a personal level, I was perplexed at first. But once I started analyzing the little things Harris does right, it was hard for me to dislike the move to bolster the special teams and add depth the receiver position.

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For starters, as yourself this: If you’re a Giants fan, when was the last time the Giants had consistent special teams play? Actually, scratch that. You don’t even have to be a Giants fan to know how woeful New York has been on special teams.

It always seems like the Giants are good for at least one special teams faux pas per year. With Harris, things could be vastly different.

Dec 7, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr (13) carries the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field. The Giants beat the Titans 36-7. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

For starters, the Giants will finally have a reliable return man for the long haul. Ever since David Wilson retired, the Giants have lacked a dynamic playmaker to return kicks and punts. While Odell Beckham Jr. fielded some punts last year, having Harris take care of the return duties is a smart idea.

Harris has a career punt return average of 11.1 yards, and a career kick return average of 26.5. To put that into perspective, OBJ and Preston Parker combined for 7.7 yards per punt return last year.

In four years, the Giants, as a team, have only had one return touchdown, while Harris has had two in that span.

While Harris isn’t a player like Devin Hester or Josh Cribbs, he’s a more dynamic return man than the Giants have had in a very long time.

A big return can be one of the biggest momentum shifts in football, so it’s smart for the Giants to finally add a player who’s capable of doing that.

Aside from his return skills, Harris is one of the league’s most consistent players in punt and kick coverage. The Giants have struggled in recent memory against some of the league’s craftier return men, so Harris will be invaluable in that aspect as well.

But the Giants didn’t only sign Harris for his special teams prowess.

Despite only catching seven passes last year, don’t be shocked to see Harris as high as the fourth receiver on the depth chart.

When he gets the ball in space, he’s always a threat to score. With Victor Cruz‘s health a perennial concern after a torn patellar tendon, Harris is a player who can step in and fill Cruz’s role in the slot.

He’s not incredibly explosive like Beckham, and he’s not the best in-and-out of his cuts like Cruz. But with Harris now on the team, the Giants are prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Whether you like him or not, it’s hard to argue that he’s an improvement over last year’s backup plan, Preston Parker.

He’s not going to be the focal point of the offense, but he will be incredibly serviceable

Harris has shown flashes of big-play ability, and he’ll have a chance to showcase that. The ex-Cowboy even cited New York’s belief in his receiving abilities as a catalyst for him signing.

Oct 13, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dwayne Harris (17) returns a kick during the first quarter of the game Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins 31-16. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

“That is exactly why I chose to come here,” Harris said, when asked if New York giving him an opportunity on offense was a reason for his signing, according to Nick Powell of NJ.com. “They do look at me as a receiver and the things I can do on the offensive end. The things I did in Dallas limited me because I was doing a lot of special team work and then outside of that I was blocking for DeMarco Murray.”

So will Harris lead the NFL in receiving yards? No. But when a receiver goes down with an injury, he’ll be the guy who’s ready to step up.

He’s the perfect definition of a utility man, and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will likely find elaborate ways to get his new under-the-radar playmaker the ball.

While Harris didn’t necessarily shine during his last year with the Cowboys, he wasn’t really given the chance to. With the Giants, Harris will see an ample amount of opportunities.

Whether he’s returning kicks and punts, in special teams coverage or running routes, I think Harris will prove to be worth every penny for the Giants.

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