He said it once, twice, a third time.
Sterling Shepard is frustrated about his shrinking role within the offense but he did not make it into his eighth year with the team and is not the last man standing as the longest-tenured Giants player by coming out and disparaging, well, anything about his standing within the franchise.
Once, twice, a third time, Shepard insisted it is beyond his control.
He cannot put himself onto the field.
Thus far this season, he has barely been on it.
“If I worry too much about all that other stuff I can send myself down a rabbit hole and have a whole bunch of ‘poor me’ situations,’’ Shepard told The Post on Thursday, sitting on a stool in front of his locker as a large media group encircled Daniel Jones nearby. “My mindset is not letting that happen and just staying ready and being patient. There’s nothing else for me to do. Me moaning about it ain’t really gonna do anything.’’
It is more than a bit curious, what is going down with Shepard. More to the point, what is not going down with Shepard. He was re-signed to a one-year deal worth $1.3 million — essentially a veteran minimum contract. It was in many ways a reward for Shepard’s upbeat persona and team-first attitude in 2022, when he tore his ACL in Week 4 and was shuffled to injured reserve. The new regime of general manager Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll valued what Shepard, 30, contributed to the locker room and enjoyed having him around. The Giants did right by him.
He proved his physical readiness in the summer, made the team and viewed his activation for the season opener as validation that all his hard work and high spirits paid off.
Since then? Not much. Shepard played 14 snaps as the Giants were routed by the Cowboys 40-0, with one target from Jones and no catches. There were 10 snaps in Arizona, one target and one reception for 4 yards (and a first down). In Week 3, it was easy to miss him on the grass at Levi’s Stadium. He played two snaps.
Was any of this explained to him?
Shepard shook his head.
“The writing is really on the wall, man,’’ he said. “It don’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. I just know I got to be ready. Being in this game, this is my eighth season, been around a lot so you kind of know every different situation that can come about. I’ve seen it the other way around where guys get into a pissed-off attitude and their number’s called and they’re not ready.’’
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His body, Shepard reported, feels great. None of the other wide receivers have done much of anything for the NFL’s 28th-ranked passing offense. Free-agent pickup Parris Campbell and second-year Wan’Dale Robinson are slot-type players more in line with what Shepard brings to the team.
Campbell in three games has done little, with 11 receptions for only 47 yards. Robinson, coming off ACL surgery, missed the first two games and was in uniform to face the 49ers, catching five passes for 21 yards in his season debut.
If Jones was spinning the ball all over the field and the passing attack was humming, perhaps the view from the sideline would be a bit more palpable.
“I feel like I can help,’’ Shepard said. “I pray for the guys’ success and what we’re working towards. It’s not that I think anybody that’s in those positions can’t do it because I believe all those guys can play at a high level. I feel like if it’s my time it’s gonna be my time.’’
Shepard mentioned filling his role. He was asked what that role is.
“Being ready if anything were to happen,’’ he said. “Somebody busts a shoelace or something, be ready to go in and go execute the job as they would or better.’’
This might not get any better for Shepard. Robinson is rounding into form and, as the 2022 second-round pick, is a favorite of this coaching staff. Cole Beasley, a proven, veteran slot receiver, is on practice squad injured reserve and on the mend.
If there is nothing for Shepard in the passing offense there is nothing for Shepard anywhere else.
“I don’t do much on special teams and that’s just the way it is,’’ he said. “I ain’t never done nothing on special teams. I played snaps. I run routes. I catch the ball.’’
Will he get a chance to catch the ball? At this point, it is trending to less, rather than more. If the Giants opt to inactivate one of their receivers it is most likely Shepard would be the healthy scratch.
“I’ve seen anything happen in this game,’’ he said. “If that’s the role to ask me to play, to be inactive and help the guys out then that’s what I’m gonna do. I ain’t gonna say it can’t happen because it can.’’
It can and it might and, as Shepard has said, it is out of his control.
