May 23, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) during the Giants OTA at the their training facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Once again the Nicks return date has changed. GM Jerry Reese said Saturday that the WR could be back for week three of the preseason.

Nicks fractured his fifth metatarsal back in May and has said he would be back in time to start the season. This week that optimism was also conveyed for the first time by the GM. He stated on Saturday ” Nicks should be ready to go for the last two preseason games, but we won’t push him out there.” The ever conservative coach has a different opinion saying,  Nicks is not ahead of schedule.

The WR has been doing some light running on the sidelines and could begin cutting next week. Having Nicks back to start the season would be a huge lift for the offense and QB Eli Manning. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Travis Beckum, who also was hurt in the Super Bowl, will probably be like Jake Ballard, and not be ready to start the season next year.  Travis showed a little light at the end of the tunnel this year, but not enough to secure him a spot on the roster, or to excite too many fans about the promise he supposedly possesses.

Bear Pascoe will now move to at or near the head of the line.  Bear was always held back because he was used as a fullback at times, and is not a prototypical Tight End.  He struggles with his blocking, a key to being a Giants Tight End, and has yet to show his true potential either.  The Bear did show a bit more in the post season, but in this era of Jimmy Graham (N.O.), Jermichael Finley (G.B.), and Antonio Gates (S.D.) the Giants could use a big play guy at this position.

Christian Hopkins 6’5″ 277 a second year man out of Toledo is the new project if you will.  Jerry Reese says he has the tools, the hands, the size, to be a good Tight End.  This we will have to see.

In free agency the Giants signed TE Martellus Bennett away from the Cowboys.  They re-structured his contract to give him a one year try-out with the Giants.  He stepping out of the shadow of one of the most productive tight ends of the last 10 years in Jason Witten.  He says he is ready, we will see.

The Giants also took a young man on draft day in Adrien Robinson who is 6’4″ and 264 pounds.  He is another raw talent for Mike Pope the tight ends coach to mold into a player.  He fits the model of the new bigger athletic tight end in the NFL and it will be fun to watch him develop.

Also on the team and competing for a spot are: LArry Donnell 6’6″ 269 from Grambling, and Ryan Purvis at 6’4″ and 264, a four year man out of Boston College.

One thing most fans seem to forget is no one knew who Jake Ballard was before the season began.  He made some nice strides and became a fast fan favorite.  We didn’t lose a hall of fame tight end, and the position is not the most important the Giants need to fill for another run.  I believe they have set themselves up well for the immediate future, and for the long term, as Jerry Reese often does.

The object of the story was to compare position players of all the NFC East to see who the “Beast of the East” were in the Division by talent level. His conclusion Dallas far outweighed the Redskins but also the Eagles and the Super Bowl Champion Giants. Okay let us go to his first ridiculous statement in which he writes; “I have listed as a tie between Eli Manning and Tony Romo. Although in my opinion Romo is the better QB by far. Romo has a higher QB rating, completion percentage, and more TD’s per game then Manning. In fact without the luck of a David Tyree miracle helmet catch, a Wes Welker 2nd down Super Bowl bobble with 4 minutes left in the game, or a Miles Austin dropped wide open 50 yard game clinching TD pass, it isn’t even a debate.” Okay we all know that statement is just plain stupid but I am not going to respond as a fan, I will respond with what their NFL colleagues have stated. In NFL Networks Top 100 players, Romo was rated 91, Vick 71 and Manning 31. So according to their fellow NFL players Romo is not even close to a tie with Manning and in fact is closer to Vick, the better QB, at 71. Call us all when Romo wins more than one playoff game in 9 years. These statements by itself needs no commentary. Anyone reading it will know how foolish it is or did Romo win 2 Super Bowls and more than one playoff game when I fell in a deep sleep?

Now let us go to this writers erroneous facts. First off I hate comparisons this early in the season when we do not know players health or standing on the team. So first mistake I saw was this writer placing David Diehl as the Giants LT. In fact Diehl is slated as RT. Then this writer, out of god knows where, places Prince Amukamara as the Giants starting CB. Prince might not even be the Giants nickle corner this season. Just for this writers’ edification Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster are the Giants starting CBs. You might remember Webster, the number one Corner for the Giants last year and the starting CB for the Giants the last 3 years. I know I am concentrating on the Giants and ignoring the Eagles and Redskins but this writer should be comparing his Cowboys to the Super Bowl Champs with some type of knowledge. Okay next mistake he places Chase Blackburn as starting MLB for Giants when in fact both Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese have said that is a open position and Michael Boley may start there. There are more factual mistakes concerning the Giants, Eagles and Redskins but I do not have the stomach to get into it and do not want to write a 2 page article.

I will not rate which team has the better players at each position because it is quite frankly stupid. We do not know where these players will be at the end of Training Camp, who the surprises will be and the changes in line ups. I will tell this writer the next time you present an article like this; tell the reader this is written from the heart of a Cowboy fan and not as a analyst. To show you the difference I am a big Giants fan but judging pure talent I think the Eagles easily take that crown but it is about winning which by the way Romo has a lot to learn even this late in his career.

In what could have been a bad sign, Osi fired his agent late last week.  This actually proved to be the key step in getting Osi to agree to his new deal.  Allowing Jerry Reese and Osi to sit down, man to man, across the table from one another, and say what they had to say.  The result was a nice raise for Osi from approximately 4.1 to 7 million dollars this year.  This is basically a bonus for the years of service and the productivity Osi has shown during his current contract.  Osi gets to be a complete free agent after this season IF the Giants don’t sign him to a longer term deal before the end of the season.  This should make Osi very happy, Very Productive, and the Giants a better team in 2012.  Jerry Reese stuck to his guns and has made Osi play out his original contract, thus not setting any bad precedents, and Osi gets a raise and a chance to test the market next year…Win Win

Osi now say he will re-hire his agent before he signs any new contract, just a difference of opinion on the deal the Giants were offering.

“I’m just happy, I’m happy all that’s over with,” said Umenyiora. “It’s time to get back to work. It was definitely frustrating (not being on the field this spring), but hearing some of the things they said, whether it was Kiwi or (Justin) Tuck or JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) or Antrel (Rolle) – hearing the way they supported me, it made me want to come back even more and be around them. Those guys really stepped up for me. I really appreciate it and I’m happy to be here with them.”

This has been difficult for Osi because he loves the Giants and did not want to leave his teammates or the fans. 2012 will be his ninth season with the Giants and has played with no other team in the NFL.  Recently, other defensive players have been given contracts larger than the 2007 $41 million dollar extension he agreed to. This was the catalyst for Osi’s requests for more money. He was to make $3.975 million in the 2012 season. He has not been practicing with the team during the contract negotiations. Details of the new agreed have not yet been released.

“This gives me peace of mind, definitely,” Umenyiora said. “We just resolved a situation. It really was affecting me in a bad way. Because I didn’t like all the negativity that was surrounding the whole situation. I couldn’t stand it, because if you know me, you know I’m not that type of person. I’m just happy all that is over with and I’ll be there. I’ll play out this contract, I’ll play this year and I’ll play my heart out.”

“I appreciate Osi’s patience and effort through this process,” stated Giants GM Jerry Reese. “We talked it out, and it makes sense for everybody involved. We are very pleased, excited and looking forward to seeing number 72 on the field at Monday’s OTA.”

In his career, Umenyiora has made 333 tackles, 69 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, and recovered 13 fumbles. Last season he played 9 games and made 25 tackles, 9 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.

Oct 26, 2008; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress (17) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE

Did a time and a Super Bowl victory ease the pain Plaxico Burress caused on Giants fans with his idiotic act of shooting himself? Not for Coach Coughlin it didn’t. According to the Daily News, when Coughlin was asked he shook his head and mouthed no. But with the injury or Nicks would it make sense to bring him in on a one year deal?

With the lack of pass catching TE’s and not knowing what to expect from the recievers after Cruz it may be worth at least thinking about. Yes, he is past his prime and he appeared pretty slow with the jets last year. But, he can still catch the ball, especially in the red zone. It seemed that age and prison may have matured him on the field, so he may have become an ideal Coughlin pupil and just show up on time and do what is asked.

It always nice to have weapons on offense, the question is what would his asking price be. But, even if it was low it is highly doubtful he will be back. The offense may have just enough options to live without Nicks for a week or two. And Coughlin and Reese have earned the right for us not to question there free agency moves or non moves,  At least for now.

Osi has a contract in place for one more year. When the Giants told him to test the market, he had no takers. Even now, is anyone beating down the door to get him? Why is that? The fact is he is the 3rd best DE on the Team and is on the down slope of his career. He wants a $40 million contract with $15 million guaranteed. That would be good if he was 27 or 28. He will be 31 this year and has had his share of injuries in the past. Teams cannot give players more money than they are worth at the end of their careers because they earned it in the past, they have to pay they what they will be worth now and at the end of this contract. Osi was a great player, he was a huge part of this team and a contributing reason they have won 2 Superbowls in 5 years. I like Osi Umenyiora and I hope he gets his money. But if he won’t sign for less than what he is asking, I hope he goes elsewhere because the bottom line is, as much as I like Osi, I like the NY Giants more. And you cant sacrifice the rest of the team and the future to take care of one player! Because he feels he has earned it. So in this business decision I am with Jerry Reese. After all, it’s a business, right?

Fernando Medina/US Presswire

The Osi Umenyiora vs Jerry Reese battle is heating up and getting ready to blow. Osi is apparently upset by the latest contract offers from the Giants. Umenyiora upset with Reese saying recently ” Osi has been offered an extension two years in a row now”.Osi replied In an email sent to the Post  ”yes, they offered an extension this year,” Umenyiora wrote “guaranteeing half of what Kiwi was guaranteed. So him telling you guys they offered an extension is technically the truth. And I’m very greedy for turning down half of what Kiwi just got.” LoL. Osi also believes Reese is trying to make Him look like a “Greedy Pig.”

Kiwi was guaranteed $10.75 million, which would mean if Osi is  correct, he was offered a guarantee of $5 million. Osi is in the last year of a 7 year $ 41.5 million contract. Umenyiora believes someone of his pass rushing ability is worth $10 million a year. And is due $3.975 million this hear. He is looking for a 4 year deal with $15 to$17 million guaranteed.

It has become clear to everyone that these two men will not agree on a contract, too many bridges have been burned between them. No matter who you feel is right or wrong in this, bottom line is that it can disrupt a football team. And Osi has said he will no longer talk publicly about this matter. So it is unclear if he will demand a trade. Considering how well this has gone the last 2 years, I think a trade would be good for both sides.

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Unfortunately there seems to be a bit of a downside that makes him a bit like the last 1st round RB the Giants seleted, Ron Dayne. Wilson is an indecisive runner and hesitates at the line when there is not a clear hole and starts running east and west. That is never a good thing in the NFL. He could be a help in the return game with his speed and tackle breaking ability and has had a 92 yd return, but I’m sure sure that makes him 1st round talent.

The Giants did have some bigger concerns than RB that could have been addressed. With players like TE Coby Fleener and O linemen like Konz, Glenn, Martin and Adams all available I wonder if this pick could have been used to address those needs considering last years starting  TE will not be ready by seasons open. And the O line did struggle at times last year, especially with Baas at center.

So was Wilson the right pick? Time will tell, we all hope so and will all be watching.

He restructured contracts.  (Manning, Baas, Diehl).  He resigned key veterans (Thomas, Weatherford, DeOssie, Hixon, Carr).  He allowed other veterans to walk whose salaries exceeded game value.  (Manningham, Jacobs).  He released players on the downside of their careers.  (McKenzie, Grant).  And he made a few brilliant low-risk, high-reward free agent signings.  (Bennett, Rivers).

The next off season task is the NFL draft on Thursday.  How will Reese handle the draft?  If history is any indicator, he’ll find a way to capture a little magic and the fan base will question his sanity.

In 2010, Reese selected Jason Pierre-Paul with the 15th overall pick.  “What in the world is Reese thinking?  You don’t select a project in the 1st round!”

Be thankful Jerry Reese runs the NY Giants and I don’t.  I probably would’ve fired Coughlin after the 2006 and 2010 seasons as well.

But let’s move forward to the 2012 draft.  You’ve all probably seen a number of mock drafts.  I’ve seen predictions saying the Giants will select a TE, CB, LB, DT, OT, C, RB, WR or even a QB in the first round.  Allow me to offer one more, equally useless train of thought.

The Worst: Too easy here, The New Orleans Saints in 1999 traded away every pick they had in this draft and a 1st and 3rd rounder the following year to acquire Ricky Williams at #5 overall.  This is not an indictment of Williams, but to trade away that amount of picks for one player that never won you a championship must be considered a bust.  Maybe the only saving grace for the Saints was that Washington, although getting such players as Champ Bailey, Jon Jansen, and LaVar Arrington, and winning the division title in 1999, didn’t return to the playoffs until 2005.  This is quite clearly the worst overall draft in history.

The Best: 2007 New York Giants.  Jerry Reese in his first draft as a G.M. had 8 picks in 2007, and here are the names: Aaron Ross. Steve Smith, Jay Alford, Zac DeOssie, Kevin Boss, Adam Koets, Michael Johnson, and Ahmad Bradhsaw.

I know I will here about the fact that only two of these players are still on the team 5 years later, but the contributions of all these men were instrumental in a very improbable Super Bowl Championship.  In the age of hold-outs, and free agency just getting everyone signed and on the roster is an accomplishment.  All 8 players played for the Giants that season and I’m sure we can all recite the impact they had on the magical 2007 season.  Kevin Boss stepping in for the injured Jeremy Shockey and making big catches against Dallas and New England, Steve Smith making third down catches and being left alone by the Patriot secondary on the final drive of the Super Bowl, Aaron Ross playing in the Dallas game with an injured shoulder, but still making big tackles to finish the game, and of course the sack by Jay Alford of Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.  Ahmad Bradshaw almost single handedly got the Giants into the playoffs with his performance in Buffalo the final week of the season, and of course Zac and Michael Johnson contributed greatly and are still with the team.

Those are my picks…What do you have as the best and worst full drafts?

They lost Kevin Boss and Steve Smith to free agency. They lost Domenik Hixon and Terrell Thomas to injury. Prince Amukamara held out and proceeded to get injured on his first full practice day. Things looked to be a mess in Big Blue Nation.

This offseason, the hysterics are far from that of last year given the results, but their is still a cause for concern. The Giants lost wide receiver Mario Manningham, cornerback Aaron Ross, and running back Brandon Jacobs to free agency this year

They are also in danger of losing Super Bowl hero Chase Blackburn, defensive end Dave Tollefson, and long-time o-lineman Kareem McKenzie. The average fan may fret over this, but their are comparable players already on the roster who can step in and produce equally, if not better.

The Giants will also look to the draft to improve their roster, as they have done in year’s past. This year, I see Reese and co. taking much talked about wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery, with the 32nd pick. Jeffery would add a different dynamic to the Giants receiving corps and would fit in great with Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. According to Todd Mcshay’s latest mock draft, Jeffery will be available when the Giants pick in the 1st round. Jerry Reese loves to go best available, and Jeffery would certainly be a valuable pick late in the first round.

March 28, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Alshon Jeffery participates in drills during the South Carolina pro day at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE

The Giants will most likely look to their offensive line, running back and defensive tackle with their later round picks.

With Jeffery taking the hurt out of the Mannigham departure, a healthy cornerback on both sides in Webster and Thomas, experienced sophomores in Herzlich, Paysinger, Sash, and Hynoski, and the tight end corral returning by mid-season— the Giants should be in just fine shape for the upcoming season.

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Jerry Reese has always been good with these middle round picks, and this only adds to his ammunition in this April’s NFL Draft.  Reese also made a few statements on Monday.  He said at this time the competition for the MLB spot is an open one, and that Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich, and Michael Boley are among the players on the current roster that would be part of the competition.  He also stated that the Giants are “not finished” in Free Agency, although currently they are just 2.5 million under the cap.  That number could change in many different scenarios.

This is the apex of a football season for a fan. The Super Bowl is the ultimate prize and nothing can top the day, well, except the parade down the Canyon of Heroes. The parade took place on February 7th, two days after the win. The emotional high that a fan experiences during a Super Bowl run is unlike anything else. Four consecutive wins and a parade to boot? It can’t get any better than that.

What is soon to follow is known as a crash. Most diehard football fans live and die with the team throughout the season. A loss can be soul crushing and a win can be as joyous as having your first child (depends on the individual of course). But, what about the offseason when everything is seemingly taken away?

While the Giants paraded down to City Hall, the media already began speculating as to where the possible landing spots of free agents would be. The Giants could not even bask in glory for two whole days without someone metaphorically raining on their parade.

The Giants have 20+ free agents in this year’s crop. They also have the never content Osi Umenyiora to worry about. Reese sure does have a lot on his plate, but do you expect any less for a G.M.? Do not let anyone fool you, the front office loves having problems like this. They just won the Super Bowl, so naturally every player is going to get a boost in worth. Victor Cruz has already asked for a pay raise, Mario Manningham looks destined for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it is going to be a hassle for players to restructure to get under the cap.

With all of this information getting leaked to the fans, hysteria will ensue. Last offseason, Jerry Reese was criticized for letting Kevin Boss and Steve Smith bolt via free agency. As the year progressed, Reese looked like a genius for these moves. Does the praise last long? Absolutely not. The minute Reese lets a beloved player walk this year is the minute the hate mail will flood in.

As a writer, I implore the fans to just hold out on judgment until at least Week 3. I know we all want to be general managers, but there is a reason we are reading about players and they are out there actually signing the players.

Have faith in Reese. I know we got hit with Linsanity as soon as the Super Bowl ended and the Rangers suddenly became relevant again, but this offseason we are in the spotlight.

Sit back, enjoy the draft, watch some NFL network and ESPN, and try not to let the offseason make you crash as hard this year. I know I sure won’t.

Steve Tisch (left) and general manager Jerry Reese react after Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

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Sunday night you relax a little, and thank everyone around you for their contribution to the success of the season.  You reflect on some of the decisions you made, and some of the things that broke your way.  You marvel at the fact that an undrafted free agent was one of your best players, and that after all the injuries suffered out of the short offseason, you managed to come out on top.

Monday..Travel day..relax with the family.

Tuesday..Victory parade and pep rally at MetLife Stadium.

Wednesday…Back to work.  You start making lists of restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, injured players, and contracts that might need restructuring. Sign your practice squad players to futures contracts.  You call a staff meeting to announce that Friday afternoon all work for the off-season will commence, and therefore all the staffs must have their work complete for presentation. The medical staff, the pro scouting department, and the college scouting department among the most important.

Thursday…Entertain calls from other clubs asking permission to speak to your assistant coaches. Evaluate your own coaching staff.  Start working on a contract extension for Tom Coughlin.

Friday…After hearing from the Medical staff on the status of every player injured throughout the season, you start to make lists of needs and how to best fill them.  Then the task of placing amounts of money to each position.  This is where you look at the free agent lists and see how active you might be once the period starts in March.  The next daunting task is to start to build your 7 round draft board.  Because the Giants draft by “Best Available Athlete” they must build their board from the first pick through the last.  They don’t concentrate just on areas of need, or who might be available around #32.  They start from the top and honestly rank every player in the draft.  It takes a lot more work, but it’s the only way to know if you have a true find at your designated spot.

Quite the week, and I am sure Mr. Reese wouldn’t trade it for any other scenario in the world.  Great job Jerry.

Now Back To Work!

How good is he?

In 2010 just before the draft I was asked what I thought the Giants would do with the 15th overall pick.  With many needs, I knew the Giants and Jerry Reese usually stick to one philosophy. Best Available Athlete.  The Giants are not an organization that normally drafts for position alone.  They place all the picks in order and take the top guy that remains when their turn comes around.  So in a draft with names like Suh, Berry, McCoy, Haden, Spiller, Pouncey, and Ryan Matthews……The Giants selected with the 15th pick…Jason Pierre Paul, a defensive end out of South Florida.  Now this pick did seem odd to many at the time. Here was a team that had many talented players playing defensive lineman at the time, and clearly needed help at other positions.  JPP, as he has become known, was not the clear choice for the Giants, but surely one that fit their philosophy.

JPP was born in Deerfield Beach Florida.  At 6’5″ Paul lettered in basketball for four years and joined the football team during his junior year. In college he amassed 49 tackles, 14 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery as a freshman at College of the Canyons (California) and earned First-team All-WSC and All-American honors. In 2008 Pierre-Paul played at Fort Scott Community College (Kansas), where his 70 tackles, 10.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries earned him First-Team little All-American honors. (more…)

They were without their leading receiver. Their starting running back, full back and center all missed the game due to injury. Their 1st pick overall in the 2011 NFL Draft made the trip, but did not play.

Of the six categories (ten positions within each slot), not one…NOT ONE single member of the New York Giants earned themselves a slot in the NFL Weekly leader board. They were shutdown for the entire first half. Just how did Big Blue pull off their biggest upset of the season? We’ve got answers. Join me on this incredibly inspiring fact finding recap.
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Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages…Welcome to the official start of the 2011-2012 NFL football season! It was looking rather bleak there for awhile, with that dark, looming lockout milling about. But we’ve hit the ground running, punched through the line, and are working our way towards the big dance – Super Bowl XLVI. So, let’s get things started!

Last season I chimed in with the experts (and robots) over at ESPN to bring you, our readers, a personalized perspective on football forecasting. This season, we jump in right where we left off. The panelists at ESPN have their picks in for this week and the general consensus looks favorable on the Big Blue Wrecking Crew. My picks are burning a virtual hole on the next page and the ratio clock starts now! Did I wax my crystal ball up more so than the other guys during the offseason? Turn the page and keep score!
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– Jerry Reese spoke to the media yesterday. In a nutshell he said: Giants will “definitely” make the playoffs, David Baas is a pro-bowl caliber center, Kevin Boothe signing was a priority, They offered reasonable contracts to Boss and Smith, and they have been following the plan all along. Handled it with class, as usual.

– Travis Beckum sat out a 2nd straight practice. I think its time to check out John Carlson’s availability in Seattle.

– Cotchery signed with the Steelers – Most likely meaning Giants will stick with their own wide-outs.

– Osi has been officially cleared to practice on Monday.

– Saturday night, August 13th, Giants at Panthers Preseason Game 1. In the words of Bart Scott, “Cant Wait!”

– Giants are off from training camp today as they are en-route to Carolina

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Source: Sean Kerr

There is a lot of buzz around the internet praising the New York Giants for having a great draft. The surprise, for many, is how a player that was so highly ranked and regarded like Prince Amukamara ended up wearing a Big Blue uniform given the fact that the Giants had a second half pick in the first round.

The fact of the matter is that it was virtually impossible for the G-Men to have a bad prospect in the first round, regardless if Prince was available come the 19th selection or not. Of course, that is not to say that the Giants could not have SELECTED poorly. Clearly they did not. What the Giants did was pick the highest ranked player that was available at the 19th selection when their turn came around. He just happened to play a position that the Giants needed reinforcement in. He also happened to be the second smallest athlete, (6′ 0″ 206 lbs) that was selected in the first round, Mark Ingram being the smallest (5′ 9″ 215 lbs).
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