On March 22, the New York Giants finalized a deal with veteran wide receiver Zach Pascal, announcing his signing on X, “pending a physical.”
Pascal most recently played for the Arizona Cardinals over the past two seasons but is likely most memorable to Giants fans from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2021.
Throughout his career, Pascal has accumulated 2,057 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, along with 65 receiving yards and 1 touchdown in the playoffs. However, he has gained significant recognition for his role on special teams.
According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, Pascal’s addition is seen as “competition for Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who earned a spot over veteran WR/ST Miles Boykin last year.”
Pascal has logged nearly 1,200 snaps on special teams in his career, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s shown improvement in this area over the years, recording his best special teams grades in 2023 (72.7) and 2024 (86.4).
Pascal typically contributes across all special teams units except for field goal kick and block.
Giants Are Building Depth for 2025 Season
The Giants’ offseason focus for 2025 seems to be strengthening the depth at every position, indicating there are no guaranteed spots this spring and summer.
This is particularly relevant for former draft pick Jalin Hyatt, especially given general manager Joe Schoen’s active moves in free agency to bolster the wide receiver group.
In addition to adding Pascal and Lil’Jordan Humphrey—who could directly challenge Hyatt for a roster spot—the team re-signed WR/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette and invested heavily to keep Darius Slayton. Many didn’t expect Slayton’s re-signing, which adds to the uncertainty for Hyatt, who appeared frustrated by his limited role in 2024.
After the Giants traded up to select Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 draft, the rookie posted 373 receiving yards. However, in his second season, he only managed 62 receiving yards, with limited offensive usage.
Similar to Humphrey, Hyatt doesn’t contribute on special teams, which reduces his value as a depth receiver.
Giants Have 9 WRs Under Contract Heading into NFL Draft
As mentioned earlier, the Giants have significantly bolstered their wide receiver depth. With nine wideouts under contract as of March 22, the team could still add more during the NFL draft. Some fans are hoping for WR/cornerback hybrid Travis Hunter in the first round, but as it stands, here’s how the roster breaks down:
- Projected Starters: Malik Nabers, Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson
- Backups with no special teams impact: Hyatt, Humphrey
- Backups who are core special teamers: Ford-Wheaton, Pascal
- Backups who are return specialists: Smith-Marsette, Montrell Washington
This roster setup is likely to lead to training camp competitions, such as Hyatt vs. Humphrey, Ford-Wheaton vs. Pascal, and Smith-Marsette vs. Washington. The team could also bring in rookies through the draft or UDFA.
These moves give the Giants valuable depth and insurance in case of injuries, showing that Schoen has learned from his first few seasons managing the team.
