Articles

By Craig J. Santucci @NYGiantsRush

NFL teams miss out on talented players all the time. Undrafted Free Agents players get overlooked when higher drafted players are penciled in as the starter. Even free agents signings can push a guy down the depth chart and out the door.

The NFL has seen a long list of these players go to other teams and become a major contributor. The other side of the story is when one NFL team buries a guy for whatever reason other teams bury the guy because of the “lack of production”.

Enter: Tight End Matt LaCosse

The 6’6″ 255 lbs Tight End who was with the New York Giants from 2015 to 2017 will most likely be the starting Tight End for the New England Patriots in 2019. You may be asking yourself how that happens.

For starters, the New York Giants never truly gave LaCosse a chance to become the starter or even the backup. He sat behind the likes of Adrien RobinsonJerome Cunningham, and Will Tye.

LaCosse, throughout camp, was a bit of mystery. Robinson was not. The Giants GM drafted Adrien Robinson in 2012 and nicknamed him the JPP of Tight Ends. Over seven years the “JPP of Tight Ends” still has not delivered. (5 rec | 50 yards | 1 TD). Why are the Giants so bad? This should say it all.

LaCosse received an injury settlement from the Giants in August of 2015, That fall LaCosse reigned with the Giants after a week with the Jets. In 2016, LaCosse was competing against the always “leaping” and always “fumbling” Larry Donnell and Will Tye. LaCosse was injured again in August and put on IR.

New Head Coach: McAdoo

In 2017, the Giants new head coach and offensive guru, Ben McAdoo planted LaCosse behind the likes of Rhett Ellison, Evan Engram, and Jerell Adams. What you need to know in this scenario is the Giants GM, gave Rhett Ellison big money in the offseason and drafted Engram and Adams back to back years. He was a healthy scratch the first 1/3 of the season and was waived.

The Wizard: Bill Belichick

LaCosse was signed by Denver and had a spark of production in 2018. He was not resigned in 2019. New England saw promise. The Tight End has now hit the lottery. If LaCosse can stay healthy, Belichick and Brady will put the ball in his hands. And with Ben Watson suspended for PED’s and “personal” issues brewing with Austin Seferian Jenkins…LaCosse is next man up.

It will be interesting to see if LaCosse can play. He has the best HC and QB in the game now preparing him. Let’s see if the Giants missed something and add to the long list of misses by Giants GM Jerry Reese. Only time will tell.