The Giants may have quietly sidestepped a costly mistake with Michael Pittman Jr.
Pittman was on New York’s radar early in free agency, but the deal never materialized after the Indianapolis Colts extended Alec Pierce. Instead, Pittman ended up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in a late-round pick swap and landed a new contract in the process. That three-year, $59 million agreement has not paid off the way anyone expected.
So far, the results in Pittsburgh have been rough. Pittman, usually known as a dependable and durable receiver, has not delivered either trait this season while working through a foot injury. He has also been spotted in the Steelers locker room on a "single-legged scooter" and wearing a boot, and head coach Mike McCarthy said he is expected to miss "multiple" games, per Mark Kaboly of 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh.
Through Week 4, Pittman has been one of 58 receivers with at least 90 routes, and the numbers have landed near the bottom across the board. He ranks 57th in first downs per route run at 0.033, 49th in targets per route run at 0.13, 49th in yards per route run at 0.99 and 45th in catch rate at 58.3 percent.
New York took a very different path at wide receiver. The Giants pieced together their No. 2 role with several low-cost, short-term additions and also traded up for rookie Malachi Fields in Round 3. None of those moves has produced a major breakout yet, but the financial risk is nowhere near what Pittsburgh is dealing with.
Fields has actually outproduced Pittman in receiving yards per game, and newcomer Darnell Mooney has been posting a similar pace for a much smaller price tag. That’s with Giants tight end Isaiah Likely serving as the de facto WR2.
Fields has flashed the big-play ability and the physical edge as a run blocker that made him an appealing prospect. His size matters for a team that wants to run the football, and there’s reason to think he can keep growing as the season goes on with more reps.
There’s even a twist in the comparison: during the 2026 pre-draft scouting process, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Fields to Pittman. In that sense, the Giants may have ended up with the kind of player they were after - without the Pittman price tag.
In Other News...
Giants' 3-1 Start Is Already Fueling A Brutal Debate
A 3-1 start usually buys a team some patience, but it can also invite a hard look under the hood when the wins do not feel as sturdy as the record. That is the position the Giants find themselves in now, with the early schedule creating just enough optimism to keep the conversation alive while leaving plenty of questions about how sustainable this start really is.
Aaron Schatzs DVOA work has only sharpened that debate, because the Giants are being graded far more harshly than the standings might suggest. ESPNs Football Power Index is even colder, putting their playoff odds at just 4%, which is the kind of number that turns a promising opening month into a referendum on what this team actually is. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Be Regretting Their Kayvon Thibodeaux Gamble
Kayvon Thibodeauxs fifth NFL season has opened with more frustration than production, and that is not a great look for a Giants pass rush already dealing with the loss of Brian Burns to injury. Through four games, Thibodeaux has yet to register a sack, and his 0% pass-rush win rate only adds to the concern around a player the Giants have counted on to be a centerpiece up front.
The bigger question now is what the front office sees in him moving forward, especially with free agency approaching. New York had a chance to move on from Thibodeaux in April, but held onto him, betting there would be stronger value waiting elsewhere. For a team trying to keep its defense afloat, the decision is starting to look harder to defend by the week. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Brings A Risk Washington Cant Ignore Against Giants
Jayden Daniels is expected back for Washington after a dislocated left elbow sidelined him a few weeks ago, and his return puts an immediate spotlight on how the Commanders plan to handle him. He opted to avoid surgery, and the hope in Washington is simple enough: keep him upright long enough for the offense to stabilize and build on what the team has shown recently.
Still, there is real unease around how much punishment Daniels can absorb while doing it. An unnamed executive raised durability concerns and pointed to the need for a more careful offensive approach, with more emphasis on the run game, extra protection and a tighter plan for getting Daniels through games. Against the Giants, that tension will hang over every snap he takes. [Read more 🡒]