One of the most surprising developments in the NFL’s Week 14 was Parris Campbell’s status as an inactive player for the Giants.
The wide receiver, highly anticipated for the season, didn’t turn out to be the productive addition to their offensive unit as anticipated.
After joining the Giants this offseason, Parris Campbell had become a focal point of their wide receiver corps.
Thanks to his earlier career impressive stats, the team had high hopes of Campbell extensively contributing to their offense.
However, the high-profile recruit proved to be under-performing so far this season. A look at Campbell’s performance shows a disappointing season for Giants’ fans.
In the first 12 games, he managed a mere 20 catches for just 104 yards, nowhere near to an impactful performance expected of him.
His inconsistent form was intriguing given his talent and previous track records. The surprise came in Week 14, when Campbell was found inactive against the Packers.
Despite being marked questionable due to a knee injury in the week’s final injury report. Clearing the news, Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll addressed the decision at a press conference on Tuesday.
He clarified that Campbell’s benching wasn’t related to his injury, hinting it was more possibly due to the team’s requirement of a boosted defense instead.
Reacting to his unexpected status, Campbell appeared surprised, though appreciated the team’s courtesy of informing him a day prior to the game.
“Yeah I definitely was shocked,” Campbell said, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “Shoot, I was more so just hurt more than anything . . . hurt that I know what I put into it each and every week. And to be inactive for the first time in my career was definitely hurtful, was definitely shocking. A lot of different emotions going on, for sure.”
It insinuated that he was mentally ready to play the game, making his exclusion even more intriguing.
While the news might have surprised Campbell, it didn’t stun those who have been tracking his season closely.
His diminished role and meager production point to the reality that the decision might be related to his unfortunate performance this season rather than his knee injury.
Parris Campbell is currently on a one-year agreement with the Giants. However, given the present circumstances, a continuance of the deal seems unlikely.
Should his subdued performance persist in upcoming games, it may result in his contract not being extended.
