It was an abysmal year for the New York Giants, however, they have a brighter future ahead. With Brian Daboll leading the way as the new head coach the franchise is hopeful for a quick turnaround. New York needs some help offensively, but there are a few names that could be released soon. For that reason, we take a look at a potential surprise Giants roster cut in the 2022 offseason.

Although the Giants didn't put on too much of a fight throughout the season, they still have some decent weapons at their disposal. Saquon Barkley is an elite running back when he's healthy, Kenny Golladay can still bounce back in a huge way, and Kadarius Toney flashed potential that could come to light next year. Even so, the surprise cut victim should come from the offensive side of the ball.

Although he's played an important role for New York throughout his career, Sterling Shepard's clock might be ticking in the offseason. He's been a reliable option when healthy but has never taken that extra step in his development to be a true threat in the passing game. We'll see how the Giants approach the offseason, but Shepard could be released.

With that said, here is our surprise Giants roster cut in the upcoming 2022 offseason.

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Surprise Giants Roster Cut in 2022 Offseason

Sterling Shepard

He's had a decent career so far, as he's been a part of a front office that failed to build a competitive offense. With the current moves made to improve the coaching staff and general manager positions, we could see Sterling Shepard on the move. The Giants have used him as a second pass option when he's more suitable as a third option. Look for New York to make some changes to the wide receiver room in the offseason.

Financially, letting Shepard go won't give New York too big of a penalty. Cutting him would only be about a $12.5 million cap hit, while the Giants take on $7.9 million in dead cap. Not great, but it's an easy situation to manage for the new general manager. Letting Sterling Shepard go opens up a roster spot for the team to address a bigger need.

Additionally, it's not like the Giants are releasing a superstar in Sterling Shepard. He's been good for his role, but his production doesn't stand out. The veteran receiver has never eclipsed more than 872 receiving yards in a season and has dealt with injuries in four of the six years he's been in New York.

With the Giants entering a new era, letting Shepard go makes a ton of sense. It's finally time for New York to acquire more exciting talent to the roster. Although Shepard has been semi-reliable throughout his career, Daniel Jones and the offense needs someone who can produce more elite numbers.

On the flip side, New York could opt to keep Shepard in the hopes he bounces back and excels in Daboll's offense. Even so, it's more likely we see Kadarius Toney take on the secondary option role while the Giants do everything possible to get Kenny Golladay back to form. We'll see how it plays out, but Sterling Shepard could be cut in the 2022 offseason.