New York Giants 2022 Training Camp Roster Preview: TE Jordan Akins

Jordan Akins is a converted receiver who's been trying to make it as a tight end. After coming over from Houston, what can he contribute to the Giants' offense?

 

The Giants have attempted to fill as many holes on the roster as possible in the last few months despite a precarious salary cap that forced them to sign a lot of low-budget veterans.

Tight end Jordan Akins was one of these low-budget signings. After graduating high school, Akins was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2010 MLB draft. But after struggling in the minor leagues, he retired from baseball and enrolled in Central Florida to pursue a career in the NFL.

The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Akins was selected in the third round (98th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, with whom he's spent the first four seasons of his career. As a member of the Texans, Akins has played in 58 games (23 starts) and caught 114 balls for 1,260 yards and three touchdowns.

The former receiver is undoubtedly a pass-catching tight end who possesses good hands to haul in passes and deceptive athleticism that allows him to make a play once he has the ball. Per Pro Football Focus, nearly 50 percent (632) of Akins' career receiving yards have come after the catch, his YAC average being 5.4 per catch.

As part of the revamped Giants tight end room, what else can Akins bring to the table?

What He Brings

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Coming out of college, Akins was described as an exceptional athlete after amassing 1,149 yards and eight touchdowns on 81 receptions. He has more than adequate speed to get up-field and push past defenders; in his final year at UCF, 43.7 percent of his catches went for 20-plus yards, as he posted a robust 7.3 YAC average in that campaign.

• RELATED: What Does TE Jordan Akins Bring to the Giants Offense?

Akins is far from the best blocker, which Giants fans don't want to hear after years of less than optimal production in that area. However, his passing upside may prove to be valuable. Boasting an impressive 70 percent catch rate over his career, Akins could provide a security blanket for quarterback Daniel Jones.

 

His Contract

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Jordan Akins signed a one-year minimum salary benefit deal worth $1.085 million. The deal includes a $50,000 signing bonus and $50,000 guaranteed. His 2022 cap hit ranks 70th among active tight ends, putting Akins in the range of players like Philadelphia's Richard Rodgers and Baltimore's Josh Oliver.

Since Akins is on an MSB deal, his cap hit is only $945,000. If he doesn't make the roster, the Giants will recoup $895,000 of cap space and take a $50,000 dead money hit.

 

Roster Projection/Expectation

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When looking at the Giants' tight end current state, it is fair to say that Akins can potentially solidify a group that has vastly underperformed of late.

The question is how. Historically, head coach Brian Daboll hasn't been big on using many 12- and 13-personnel sets while in Buffalo. So might the team instead roll with two tight ends on the 53-man roster, such as veteran Ricky Seals-Jones and rookie draft pick Daniel Bellinger, the latter of whom has been impressive so far this spring?

I predict Bellinger will earn the TE1 role before the end of the season, leaving Akins and Seals-Jones (assuming both are on the roster) to compete for TE2. Until then, look for Akins, if healthy, to try to take advantage of those reps he earns. 

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