Golden Tate not trying to fill Odell Beckham Jr.’s shoes

Yes, Golden Tate arrived because Odell Beckham Jr. was sent away.

No, Tate is not going to go down that road as far as stamping himself as Beckham’s replacement.

“Odell is a tremendous talent,’’ the newly signed Giants receiver said Friday. “He’s a buddy of mine. I enjoy watching him. I love his game. He’s just a complete receiver: He can run, he can run routes, he can catch, great personality, very likeable guy.’’

Tate is not breaking new ground here. The Giants did not ship Beckham to the Browns because they viewed him as anything other than an elite player. Once they jettisoned him, though, a hole opened up in the passing attack, and Tate, 30, was signed to a four-year, $37.5 million deal, brought in not to replicate Beckham but to in some way pick up the slack created by his absence.

“I’m just coming in to do my job,’’ Tate said. “I’m coming in to put my head down and work and do the best I can. That’s one thing I try not to do, compare myself to really anyone. I’m kind of my own player, my own unique player. I’m going to just do my job and not put too much pressure on anyone around me or on myself. We wish Odell the best of luck over in Cleveland. I’m pretty sure he’s going to do some great things, just like he did here in New York.’’

Tate is an accomplished player, a 10-year veteran with 611 career receptions for 7,214 yards and 38 touchdowns. He was selected to one Pro Bowl. He won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. He caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Nick Foles for the Eagles in the NFC wild-card victory over the Bears in Chicago. His toughness, knack for gaining yards after the catch and his competitive spirit are all there in abundance.

Tate is not Beckham, and the Giants are not expecting him to approach that gaudy production. They want him to be a reliable target for Eli Manning and work in concert with Sterling Shepard, the other starting receiver, even though their pairing feels like duplication. Both are 5-foot-10 receivers who feel comfortable working inside in the slot.

“I really like Sterling’s game,’’ Tate said. “That guy, he’s a baller, he’s a playmaker. He makes plays, and I do the same. What makes both of us unique is we can play anywhere around the field. My first two to three years in Detroit, most of my career in Seattle, I was an outside guy. I feel like I can run the comebacks, the hooks, any route on the route tree just fine. And I feel the same thing about him and a couple of other guys in the room. I’m looking to … complement him, and I hope he finds a way to complement me in this offense and we come together and make plays all over the place.’’

Tate has caught passes primarily from Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford and Foles. He said from observing Manning he is certain “he knows how to get the ball to his playmakers. He’s done that at a high level for a long time.’’

Without Beckham as the focal point of the passing attack, Tate expects Manning “to spray the ball around to a bunch of guys and a bunch of guys make plays.’’

Back in January, Tate was quoted as saying he wanted his next team to be ready to win and not be in rebuilding mode. The Giants, with general manager Dave Gettleman pulling the strings, are in the process of turning over the roster once again.

“I do believe from the little that I know that we can win,’’ Tate said. “We’re not far from square one, we have some good players. I’m going to use my ability, my personality, my work ethic to hopefully lead these guys and find a way to win games.’’

Tate grew up in Tennessee and went to Notre Dame, but said he always had an eye on the Giants.

“From afar I’ve been a New York football Giants fan growing up, and I’ve always admired, really, this entire division,’’ he said. “I just remember always seeing the Giants on TV growing up, and I always kind of envisioned myself maybe playing in this organization one of these days. It’s really awesome that time has come.’’

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