2022 Giants free agency: WR Dante Pettis

Dante Pettis has seemingly spent much of his NFL career waiting for opportunities since being a second-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Pettis started the 2021 season on the Giants’ practice squad. Injuries finally gave him an opportunity to play in Week 5 and he responded with five receptions on 11 targets for 48 yards against the Los Angeles Rams. Week 6, he caught five passes in five targets for 39 yards and a touchdown. He even completed a pass.

Week 7, Pettis muffed a punt, wrecked his shoulder trying to recover it and saw his season come to an end.

Will the 26-year-old get another chance with the Giants?

Details

Age: 26
Position: Wide receiver
2021 salary cap hit: $374,444

Making the case

Pettis wore out his welcome with the 49ers, but has made some plays in limited opportunities with the Giants.

In 2020, he caught four passes for 76 yards (19.0 yards per catch) with a touchdown in two games. In 2021, 10 catches in two games before suffering a season-ending injury in his third game.

Thing is, for a guy who was a record-setting collegiate punt returner in college Pettis has never excelled in that role as an NFL player. He’s a smaller-framed guy who doesn’t play with much physicality, and has no role on special teams coverage units.

From where I sit, C.J. Board offers roughly similar receiving ability and far more as a special teams player. If the choice is Board or Pettis, I’m siding with Board.