Rookie mini-camp (and free agent tryouts) concluded yesterday, May 2, 2010 and we know about as much as we knew before about this year’s Giants rookie class: young, raw, upside, potential, fast, athletic…that’s about it, really hard to gauge who is going to contribute and in what role come the beginning of the season in 2010. 

Minicamp Notes: JPP needs a little work on his conditioning, ditto for Chad Jones (not uncommon as many of the rookies have just spent the better part of the past two months, post-combine, being wined and dined by various teams across the country.  JPP has a minor back issue (is any back issue minor?) that slowed him down a bit but the size, speed, and athleticism are there. Linval Joseph is a large, powerful man who is surprisingly quick off the snap and moves real nice for a guy his size (already thinking Joseph will have a large and instant impact on the Giants defensive front).  Chad Jones has a lot to learn, but is coachable and has natural talents you don’t see with a 3rd round draft choice.  Middle linebacker Philip Dillard impressed Coughlin and the coaches with his speed, intelligence, and his quick pickup of terminology and the scheme.

Looking at it from a pure numbers perspective, Joseph and Dillard look like the two guys most ready to earn playing time right away and make a big impact on the Giants defensive renewal (not counting out JPP just yet of course, lots of time to go).  Also encouraging is Perry Fewell, new Giants defensive coordinator.  Fewell is loud, in-your-face, and is going to bring some intensity to this defense.  any defensive coordinator who preaches turnovers and physicality is okay in my book.

And, yes, the Giants have apparently inked the former middle linebacker standout from Kentucky, Micah Johnson, after this weekend’s mini-camp (leak of the Micah Johnson signing comes directly from Micah Johnson and has yet to be officially announced, we’ll try to confirm soon).  Micah Johnson was thought to be a solid mid-round to late-round pick after starring at Kentucky in the SEC, but Johnson went undrafted and appears to perhaps have a future with the G-men.  Can’t hurt, not a guy who is going to wow you with speed, but he plays hard, hits hard, and is a good football player.  Welcome Micah Johnson to the competition at middle linebacker.

Stay Blue!

On to the two most anticipated (and likely) training camp positional battles (we’ll look at the secondary tomorrow):

1. Middle Linebacker: Four guys legitimately in the mix here (what I like to call the usual suspects at this point): Jonathan Goff, Gerris Wilkinson, Chase Blackburn, and 4th Round draft choice Philip Dillard.   Goff probably has the upper-hand here, having started 4 games at the back end of 2009, albeit, with mixed results.  Still, the Giants like his size/speed combination, and he has to be the favorite when camp opens.  Goff’s biggest threat might be Dillard, a rookie out of Nebraska, who has a nice skill set and could be a huge surprise in 2010.  Have to think Wilkinson’s chances are low, given the position change from the weakside linebacker position (I know he played in the middle in college, but that seems like light years ago and I just don’t see Wilkinson holding up physically in the middle, but you never know).  Blackburn is a jack of all trades linebacker who excels on special teams and provides great overall depth.  If Blackburn was going to be the starter, it would have happened last year.

Offensive Line: Will the Giants return the same starting five (O’Hara, Snee, Suebert, Diehl, McKenzie) or will second year man William Beatty (who the Giants are very high on) push his way into either the left tackle or right tackle spot, creating a domino effect on the line?  Beatty is easily the Giants most athletic tackle and in brief stints last year, showed huge potential at both tackle spots.  If Beatty comes in a little heavier and a little stronger, watch out.  Reese and Coughlin would love to see Beatty win one of the tackle spots, but does that mean the end of the line for either Seubert or McKenzie?

Also, while less talked about, the backup positions on the offensive line figure to be up for grabs between Boothe (who has been pretty solid when called upon), Whimper (a 4th round pick originally at tackle, moving to guard, and figures to be under the microscope) with the additions of 5th Round draft choice Mitch Petrus and undrafted free agent Dennis Landolt.  I can easily see Adam Koets not making the final roster as well; the question still remains, who is the backup center (O’hara still plays like a beast but won’t forever), if there is a shake up on the line, have to figure Seubert goes to a back up role and provides depth at both guard and center.

On a programming note, my apology to those of you who tuned in on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 to the radio show “The Sports Docket,” a popular sports show that covers NY sports on Blog Talk Radio, expecting to hear Giants draft thoughts and Giants speak, we had a scheduling issue (a fancy way of me telling you I told you the incorrect time earlier this week).  We are now confirmed for Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. eastern time (6:00 p.m. pacific), so mark your calendars, it is going to be a rowdy evening.

Finally, no news on free agent DT John Henderson’s scheduled visit with the Giants, we will be monitoring this situation closely, Henderson could give the Giants another nice rotational run stuffer to hedge the bet on Linval Joseph, who will be given an opportunity to carve out a role on the d-line.

Stay Blue!

Round 4: Nebraska LB Philip Dillard

Ahh yes, the middle linebacker position is finally addressed with the selection of Dillard in Round 4. Dillard has some past injury issues (knee and ankle), but finally put it all together last year for the Huskers, playing behind the man they call Suh. Dillard is expected to compete with holdovers Goff and Blackburn to fill the middle linebacker spot left vacant with the release of Antonio Pierce. Dillard is not a sexy name and Giants fans grew a bit impatient waiting for a linebacker to be added, but he plays smart, is aggressive, and looks to be a great fit for Perry Fewell’s defense.

Round 5: G Mitch Petrus

Many of us surmised big changes on the Giants offensive line, most notably, David Diehl either moving inside, taking Rich Seubert’s spot, or to right tackle, pushing Kareem McKenize out of that role (with 2nd year man Will Beatty taking over at left tackle). Petrus is a nice prospect, he is strong and plays with a real mean streak, nice grab by Jerry Reese to grab a player with starting potential in Round 5.

Round 6: LB Adrian Tracy

Not sure what to make of Tracy, who dominated division II competition at William & Mary, picking up 20 sacks over the past two seasons. A pure pass rusher, Tracy is a bit of a tweener project, but could surprise and add to special teams, if he makes it through training camp.

Round 7: Matt Dodge

This would have been a curious pick had long time punter Jeff Feagles not called up Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin and advised them that he is likely retiring. The Giants had Dodge as the highest rated punter in the draft and he will be given every chance to beat out free agent signing Jy Bond (of Australian rules football fame) for the starting gig in training camp.

Lingering Roster Questions/Further Giants Draft Discussion:

No running backs drafted (nor any additions via undrafted free agents), a bit of a gamble/show of faith to Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, who have both proven to be injury prone and are coming off of off-season surgeries. Would have had no argument if the Giants tabbed the explosive C.J. Spiller in Round 1, but glad the Giants didn’t give away any picks to move up and take him in the top 10 of round 1. Jacob’s struggles could be traced to a decline on the offensive line and little nagging injuries, he gets another shot in 2010 after getting his big money deal in 2009. A motivated Brandon Jacobs in 2010 will be nice for this offense.

Offensive Line: Lots of speculation that the Giants are looking to revamp their offensive line, most looking at G Rich Seubert and RT Kareem McKenzie as the obvious targets. Still, the Giants went defensive until Round 5 when they added Mitch Petrus to the mix, a young, powerful guard out of Arkansas. Love the pick, but many Giants fans would not have minded Mike Iupati, who was on the board for the G-men in Round 1. Regardless, give Reese kudos for picking JPP and not looking back, pure pass-rushers with star potential (I don’t care how raw JPP is) are much more valuable than interior offensive line (don’t tell Eli we said that, also please don’t mention that to Rich Seubert or Chris Snee either). Either way, there will be a nice little training camp competition on the offensive line, which we haven’t seen in some time. Beatty is going to get his shot and if he shows strong, the domino effect will be seen with Diehl, Seubert and/or McKenzie (Petrus is nice depth and his addition along with undrafted free agent Penn State alum Dennis Landolt could spell doom for former mid-round picks Adam Koets and/or Guy Whimper.

Defensive Tackle: Rumor has it that Barry Cofield almost became and ex-Giant (and a new Saint) for a second day pick, likely a 3rd round choice. The Giants have not offered (and are likely not going to offer) Cofield a long-term deal, but he provides a nice presence inside and is expected to return to pre-knee injury (yes, a confirmed microfracture) surgery and should again be stout against the run. Rumors are also flying that the Giants almost traded for big DT John Henderson (Jaguars) during the draft, but compensation could not be worked out. Henderson was released yesterday, if Henderson is brought on board, Cofield may be on the way out (either way, we think Rocky Bernard’s stint in blue is likely over after one year with the addition of big Linval Joseph and the return of Jay Alford).

Program Alert: Yours truly will be interviewed tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern time on The Sports Docket, a popular sports show that covers NY sports on Blog Talk Radio, we’ll be talking Giants draft and all things New York Giants, tune in and cause a little havoc, it could get rowdy!

Stay Blue!

All Giants fans were giddy at the prospect of adding Sean Lee in Round 2, but the Joseph pick could also turn out to be golden as well. I am not offended with adding two prime-time pieces to the defensive line in Rounds 1 and 2 of this year’s draft. Anyone who watched this defense closely last year could see the need here (another nice pick given the uncertainty of Jay Alford’s return to full health coming off of knee surgery and with Barry Cofield coming into his free agent walk year).

Reviewing Draft Days 1 and 2:

The lack of a true starting middle linebacker selected in the first 3 rounds of the draft raises plenty of questions (and opens Jerry Reese and company up to a fair amount of criticism, especially considering that the Giants had their choice between Penn State’s Sean Lee and TCU’s Daryl Washington, but instead opted for a huge, powerful and versatile defensive tackle at pick no. 26, Linval Joseph. To be fair to Joseph, several teams had him as a potential late first round pick and he is a guy that was moving fast up draft boards.

Round 1: Jason Pierre-Paul: Raw, yes. A project, perhaps in every sense of the word. But, according to Marc Ross, who runs the Giants scouting/draft board, Pierre-Paul was their 6^th highest rated player and the Giants were estatic to stay put at no. 15 and grab Pierre-Paul. Love this pick on several different levels. Pierre-Paul has the ability to the best pure pass-rusher out of this draft, the Osi situation is far from settled (though we believe John Mara and Jerry Reese, for now, when they say that there are no plans to move Osi), but Jerry had to hedge his bet and there is not a guy with more upside or star potential in this draft than Jason Pierre-Paul. If Pierre-Paul does nothing more than contribute on third down passing situations in year one (and shows the speed and athleticism off the edge as advertised), this pick becomes gold. After having a very difficult time getting to the quarterback in 2009, this pick makes sense for the now and the future.

Round 2: Linval Joseph: Yes, the name Joseph when associated with defensive tackles leaves all Giants fans with a bitter taste in their mouths, and rightfully so, Willie Jo out of Miami definitely tainted big blue, but Linval Joseph may just be the pillar in the middle of the defense that the Giants have been missing for some time (from the looks of it, this guy plays with power and a motor that reminds me of a former big hammer in the middle, Keith Hamilton). I like Jerry’s thinking, linebackers look a whole lot better and make many more plays when the defensive tackles are dominating the middle and taking up blockers at the line of scrimmage. While Giants brass still has high hopes for free agent addition Chris Canty (I am guessing Rock Bernard could be a goner now), the addition of Joseph give the Giants a true run stuffer and middle of the line presence not seen for some time.

Round 3: Chad Jones: After watching the secondary become decimated with injuries (most notably to star-in-the-making free safety Kenny Philips), Jones got the nod in the middle of Round 3. Jones is a great athlete, very fast, and will immediately compete for punt return duties, nice added value with this pick. Still, this pick is not an indictment, either way, as to Kenny Philips return to full health in 2010, but Jones give the Giants further depth and speed which was lacking. Incumbent safety Michael Johnson could be on his way out if Philips avoids the PUP (physically unable to perform list) to start the season. The safety position has been seriously upgraded this off-season with the signings of Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant and now with the addition of Chad Jones.

 We will look closely at picks from Round 3-7 tomorrow and will give a more comprehensive look at this year’s crop of un-drafted free agent signings (which we like by the way) in tomorrow’s posting. Let’s hear your comments on the Giants draft.

Undrafted Free Agents Signings:

Ohio State TE Jake Ballard

Ohio State Offensive lineman Jim Cordle

Penn State OT (most likely converted to guard) Dennis Landolt (*Landolt received a signing bonus of $25,000 from the G-men, a little indication that he has a chance to stick and the Giants are pretty high on Landolt’s long-term potential)

Virginia DT Nate Collins: Surprised Collins went undrafted, he is a very quick and active defensive tackle, I can see Collins forcing his way onto the team’s final roster or, at worst, the practice squad, Collins is a guy to watch).

Minnesota LB Lee Campbell: Productive and steady, nice size/speed combo)

Umass WR Victor Cruz

Memphis WR Duke Calhoun (all-time leading receiver for the Tigers)

Duke DE Ayanga Okpokowuruk

Holy Cross QB Dom Randolph (a very good athlete, intriguing prospect who could be a nice developmental player)

Duke CB Leon Wright (looks like a Kevin Dockery clone, but with better ball skills) 

STAY BLUE!

Is the Joseph pick that big of a surprise? Maybe not, we thought Jerry Reese was going to add another defensive tackle to the mix and needed to do so after watching the Giants get gashed in the run game (the week 8 Leonard Weaver run up the middle for a long touchdown still burns), 2009 was not Giant football, no pass rush and no run defense. So, Jerry Reese has opted in Rounds 1 and 2 to shore up the trenches on the defensive side of the ball, we have no issue there, it needed to be done.

As far as middle linebacker goes, obviously the Giants biggest need going into the 2010 NFL Draft, we look to Round 3 for a guy like Temple’s Jamar Chaney or Donald Butler from Washington. And yes, Brandon Spikes is also still an option as well.

Stay Blue!

Cue the Osi trade rumors please. Expect Jerry Reese’s phone to be pretty busy with potential calls coming from Carolina, Miami, and the Rams. I still think Umeniyora is highly valued by Giants brass and any offer needs to be a multiple pick deal, starting with a high 2nd round pick this year. Dealing Umeniyora doesn’t make sense unless the Giants feel Pierre-Paul can contribute right away, at least on third down passing situations, and that is a huge risk to take unless the return is just too good. With that being said, Jerry Reese and John Mara have both publicly come out and said Osi is going nowhere.

2nd Round Targets: I can see the Giants trading up a few spots in round 2 only if they think Sean Lee, Daryl Washington, or Jamar Chaney won’t be around at pick no. 46, the 14th pick in round 2. Just depending, I could also see the G-men grab the best defensive tackle (Brian Price/Cam Thomas/Linval Joseph/Lamarr Houston) or the best offensive lineman (Roger Saffold comes to minds) in round 2 if one of the aformentioned middle linebackers are off the board.

Jason Pierre-Paul comes with the dreaded “upside” label, though the Giants were not the only team with a high grade on Pierre-Paul. Jerry Reese expects Pierre-Paul to play in 2010, but you have to figure Pierre-Paul will be used mostly on 3rd down, in pure passing situations. After struggling to get after the quarterback in 2009, Reese and company desperately wanted to reinvigorate the pass rush so Pierre-Paul makes sense given the Giants high grade on him. Am I worried the Giants grabbed a t rue “boom or bust” pick in Round 1? Yes, but the upside makes sense and perhaps Jerry Reese’s pro-active move will pay huge dividends in the near future (Kiwinuka enters his contract year and you never know with Umeniyora, if he has a big year, he is going to want a new contract with new money), so on several levels, welcome Jason Pierre-Paul.

Stay Blue!

The Giants 2010 off-season is critical to this organization’s success for the next five years, minimum. Eli Manning is a franchise quarterback with dangerous, developing wide receivers; the offensive line is built with solid veterans but needs a further infusion of youth (the Giants could use a hammer on the interior and a back-up plan at tackle), three running backs are coming back from injury (though something tells me that giving an angry Brandon Jacobs that hammer on the interior we talked about and the Giants can live with Bradshaw, Brown, and Ware).

On defense, there are questions surrounding the entire line. The three-headed pass rushing monster of Tuck, Umeniyora, and Kiwinuka was disappointing and needs to reutrn to form. Jerry Reese’s decision to trade or not trade Osi looms large (if you trade Osi, you lose your best pass rusher in his prime with an affordable contract even if you think he does not produce much higher than last year (7.5 sacks a few forced fumbles), than you have to get back a pretty good haul (I am thinking a high to mid 2nd round pick, a 4th round pick, and a 5th round pick). Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Giants add a defensive end in the first four rounds).

At defensive tackle, the Giants have high expectations for Canty who was a non-factor in an injury filled first year; Alford is returning from a torn acl, though at least Barry Cofield will be a year removed from knee microfracture surgery, but another body is badly needed (not going to mention Rocky Bernard because I just can’t see him making it all the way to week one). I am high on several mid-round defensive tackles (Mike Neal from Purdue and Nate Collins from Virginia) and it would also make me happy to see Brian Price or Cam Thomas in Round 2 or 3. The Giants middle-linebacker issues are well-documented (but maybe McClain to the Giants is not a given, there are several intriguing prospects like Sean Lee, Jamar Chaney, Daryl Washington, and Donald Butler who should be there in Rounds 2 -4). In the secondary, we’ll get a true idea of what Jerry Reese really thinks about the return of Kenny Philips to complete health and another cornerback is needed after Ross missed most of last year, Dockery was released, and the Giants shouldn’t role the dice on only Bruce Johnson on the bench.

Biggest impact on day one of the draft (hint, no one is talking about this)? Time limits: This year, the normal 15 minutes on the clock is now 10 minutes, in Round 2, 10 minutes is 7 minutes, and rounds 3-7 goes from 7 minutes to five minutes. Expect a frenzy of trades, round one is going to be interesting.

Draft Day Predictions Round One

-Dez Bryant to the Broncos: Makes sense if the Broncos view Bryant as immature but hard-working and coachable (the need is there with the departure of Brandon Marshall)
-Jimmy Clausen does not get out of the top 15 (Seattle, Buffalo, Denver, San Francisco come to mind)
-Cleveland is a prime candidate to trade up from pick 7
-Eight offensive lineman will go in the first round: Russell Okung, Trent Williams, Bryan Baluga, Charles Brown, Mike Iupati, Maurkice Pouncey, Anthony Davis, and Roger Saffold)
-Taylor Mays will fall to Round 2

Giant Draft Prediction Round One
Round One pick 15: If Jimmy Clausen is not off the board, the Giants trade down to a team targeting the Notre Dame quarterback and select Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon or Maurkice Pouncey, the versatile offensive lineman from Florida. If the Giants stay put, Earl Thomas, C.J. Spiller, Dan Williams, or Rolando McClain will be the pick.

Stay Blue!

9/12 Home vs. Panthers
9/19 Away vs. Colts
9/26 Home vs. Titans
10/3 Home vs. Bears
10/10 Away vs. Titans
10/17 Home vs. Lions
10/25 away vs. Cowboys
10/31 BYE
11/7 Away vs. Seahawks
11/14 Home vs. Cowboys
11/21 Aways vs. Eagles
11/28 Home vs. Jaguars
12/5 Home vs. Redskins
12/12 Away vs. Vikings
12/19 Home vs. Eagles
12/26 Away vs. Packers
1/2 Away vs. Redskins

Initial thoughts: The Giants do not play any division games until Week 7 against the Cowboys, not sure if this is good or bad really, but the second half of the schedule is packed with playoff deciding games against fellow NFC East teams; the Giants open the new Meadowlands Stadium against the Panthers, a team that flat out embarrased the G-men to close out the old Meadowlands, have to think the guys in the locker room will be ready for the opener. The 2nd Manning bowl will take place in Indy in week 2, a nice test for this rebuilt defense for sure. Perhaps it may help the G-men to round into form before tackling the NFC East during the latter part of the schedule, either way, the Giants have one of the stronger strengths of schedule (7th strongest) on paper heading into 2010.

While the Giants December schedule looks brutal (Vikings, Eagles, Packers, and Redskins; three road games in there), if you take a look at the Cowboys December run, you won’t feel s bad (Cowboys have Indy, Philly, Washington, and the Cardinals). In total, the Giants have 4 primetime games, two of which fall on Sunday evening, and a Monday nighter against the Boys, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Nice to see a true mid-season bye week (Tom Coughlin is smiling if just for a second).

On to the draft, where no news is good news on the Osi Watch. All is quiet, something tells me that unless the Giants are wowed with a deal that makes too much sense (high second round pick and a mid round pick, at a minimum), Osi will be going no where in 2010). Still, there is interest and Jerry is listening, even if the Giants are not “actively looking to trade Osi.” At this point, trust no one, almost everyone is tradeable for the right price, the Giants plans in Round 1 will go a long way in determining whether Osi remains in blue in 2010.

Nice to see Big Ben about to get a big suspension (rumored to be 4-6 games), Pittsburgh faces the Falcons, Titans, Bucs, and Ravens in the first 4 weeks, no easy task for likely starter Byron Leftwich, I can see the Steelers being happy coming out of there at 2-2, but that is no sure thing either.

Stay Blue!

The latest comes from NYdailynews.com beat writer Ralph Vacchiano who supports ESPN’s Chris Mortenson that the Rams and Panthers are very interested in dealing for the disgruntled pass-rusher who has three years left on his contract at an affordable $10.1 million over the life of the deal. Vacchiano says the Giants are not actively shopping Umeniyora (the Giants have to say as much in case Osi goes nowhere, the last thing Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese want is an even more distracted Osi coming into camp). Still, “not actively shopping” Osi and answering calls from other teams are two very different things.

As we have been saying all off-season, if teams come calling, the G-men will listen and, if the deal is right, Jerry Reese will pull the trigger and take back some picks for Osi.

Rumored level of compensation is anywhere from a 2nd round pick (Rams have the first pick in Round 2, no. 33 overall) to a couple of mid-round picks (have to figure that it would take multiple mid-round picks for the Giants to part ways with arguably their best pass rusher).

Ralph Vacchiano also identifies five (5) guys he thinks are high on the Giants draft board at No. 15:
Rolando McClain, C.J. Spiller, Mike Iupati, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Sean Weatherspoon, the usual suspects.

I still think the Giants interest in McClain is over-stated to some extent and I can absolutely see the G-men trading down and grabbing Weatherspoon as he is a great fit and would start right away in the middle for Perry Fewell.

And, finally, the moment we have all been waiting for, the NFL 2010 schedule will be released this evening, Tuesday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m. (eastern time). Don’t take too much stock in the schedule just yet, you never know how things are going to shake out. Also, Giants fans can fully expect to open against Washington and close against Minnesota, just like the year’s before (I am kidding on that one, I think, but we’ll see).

Stay Blue!

Stay tuned and enjoy, lots more to come!

Also, as predicted, there is now talk that the Giants war-room is somewhat divided as to the selection of Rolando McClain in Round 1, some say (we are in on this point) that the Giants may have a little more love for Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon instead of McClain). We’ll keep you updated, stay blue!

As we had previously predicted, apparently, Osi Umeniyora is available in the days leading up to the draft (I think the likelihood that Osi is shipped off on or before the draft is high; I don’t see Osi swallowing his pride and returning happily to the G-men after his name is officially been Donovan McNabb’ed).

Here is the deal: Michael Lombardi of National Football Post is reporting that Umeniyora “can be had for the right price.” Chris Mortenson of ESPN identifies the Rams (the Spagnuolo connection makes sense here), Carolina (need a replacement for the departed Julius Peppers) and Miami (the guess here is that Osi would be moved to the outside linebacker spot and asked to simply speed rush on every play). Mort gives the odds at 60/40 Osi gets dealt, exact compensation unknown of course (I am hearing everything from a 2nd round pick combined with a later round pick (think a no. 5) or a combination of mid-round picks. What the truth is remains to be seen.

We discussed here weeks/months ago that it makes sense to entertain Osi trade offers only if the compensation is fair. Fair in my mind is a 2nd and a 4th and/or a 2nd, 5th, and a pick next year as well. Osi is in his prime, fully recovered from knee surgery, and is on a very affordable contract, if Jerry pulls the trigger on a deal, he better get a nice little haul of picks in return.

Further, if Brandon Marshall is worth two 2nd round picks, you have to think the starting point of any discussion is a 2nd round pick, at a minimum.

And, linked to any Osi deal is the rumor that the Giants have their eyes on Jason Pierre-Paul as a replacement. Not sure I am buying this part as Pierre-Paul is not NFL ready and will need time to learn, regardless of his physical attributes and speed/athleticism. The G-men are built to be a win-now team, I don’t see Pierre-Paul as the answer, so I am calling this part a smoke-screen for now. I don’t think any Osi deal is predicated on obtaining Pierre-Paul, simply put, Osi gets dealt if Jerry gets the right offer. Check back here for updates all week, stay blue!

On the Giants front, Eli Manning has come out publicly with a show of support for his fellow Super Bowl winning quarterback, I don’t even want to get into how close Big Ben came to becoming a big Giant pain in the ass, but the Big Ben news serves as another reminder of how nice it is too have a franchise quarterback who only makes headlines on the football field.

On the draft front, it is reported that Jacksonville, who own the 10th pick in the 1st Round of next week’s draft, are interested in moving down a few spots and adding picks, could Jerry come calling in an effort to move up and grab Rolando McClain or C.J. Spiller? Only time will tell, but it has continued to be our stance that Jerry stay put or trade down and grab extra picks, not give them away for one player.

A lot has been said about the Giant needs on defense (at middle linebacker, defensive line, and depth everywhere), but could the Giants be interested in brining in another running back in the early rounds? Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are both recovering from off-season surgeries (Jacobs had knee surgery and Bradshaw had several screws inserted into his foot as well as bone spurs cleaned out on his ankle), not to mention last year’s 4th Round pick, Andre Brown’s recovery from a torn achilles heal. Would another running back be nice? Sure, but I would prefer to see the G-men add one in the latter part of the draft and not in the first three rounds.

Jerry Reese also had his annual pre-draft news conference where he said a lot while saying nothing. Familiar thoughts, i.e., we have players who in-house who will compete at middle linebacker (Goff, Kehl, and Wilkinson), we are looking to improve competition everywhere (everywhere just happens to be on the offensive line where most are expecting last year’s 2nd round pick, William Beatty, to compete for the starting left or right tackle position), which would mean David Diehl moves inside (likely taking Rich seubert’s spot) or to the right tackle spot, leaving Kareem McKenzie’s future in doubt.

Guys We Think Will Look Good in Blue:

Round 1:
LB Rolando McClain
LB Sean Weatherspoon
G Mike Iupati
C/G Maurkice Pouncey
S Earl Thomas
OT Anthony Davis
RB C.J. Spiller
DT Dan Williams
DE Derrick Morgan

Round 2:
LB Daryl Washington
LB Sean Lee
DT Cam Thomas
DT Brian Price
DT Linval Joseph
G Jon Asamoah
S Morgan Burnett
CB Brandon Ghee
OT Jared Velhdeer

Round 3 and Beyond:
DT Arthur Jones
LB Jamar Chaney
C Matt Tennant
S Chad Jones
DE Corey Wooton
G Mike Johnson
G John Jerry

Stay Blue!

The Giants dream of pairing big money free agent Antrel Rolle with Kenny Philips (yes, with a healthy Kenny Philips) to form an athletic, bal-hawking tandem of safeties on the back line of the defense remains alive.

To quote Kenny (courtesy of the New York Post): “I understand it’s a business and the way our secondary performed last year it’s only right you do something,” Phillips today told The Post. “I don’t think they’re panicking by bringing in all these guys, I don’t think I should panic. I know when I get to 100 percent it’s going to be competitive and I don’t mind competing.”
If nothing else, Kenny’s attitude is refreshing, here is a young guys who gets it and is putting in the time and focus to recover and return to the field. While Philips return to 100% health is anything but guaranteed, Giants fans have to appreciate his optimism and will continue to hold out hope that Philips will not start the season on the dreaded PUP (physically unable to perform) list, which would put Philips’ return, at a minimum, eight (8) weeks deep into the season.

On another front, major questions before the draft continue to get answered: First, Donovan McNabb gets shipped not so far away to Washington, instantly improving the Skins (though Jason Campbell has not yet been dealt, but it seems like his departure is inevitable, and I can see the Raiders or Bills come calling on that front). Second, talented and troubled Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall has been sent to South Florida where he will give Miami a true no. 1 receiver, reports indicate that Miami gave up a 2nd round pick in this year’s draft and a 2nd round pick in next year’s draft. Denver removes a major headache who they weren’t going to pay big money to keep, Marshall gets a new lease and likely a big money deal from the Dolphins, and the Dolphins give quarterback Chad Henne a true stud receiver (Marshall’s addition can’t be good news for former no. 1 pick Ted Ginn, who has been a major disappointment thus far).

On the Giants draft front, more and more folks believe that Rolando McClain may very well fall to the middle of Round one, so if Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin truly are in love with the all-american McClain, they might just get what they want. Why do I think that Perry Fewell may only have one year to turn this defense around? Here’s why: If the Giants draft McClain and Perry’s defense end up being a bust, the pieces are almost there for a nice little transition to the 3-4 defense (Canty and Tuck would take on the defensive end spots, McClain could still be a beast on the inside, Sintim is a natural fit on the outside, Alford could also play defensive end), so the cupboard would not be bare. Osi could be shipped out for picks, same with Kiwi, and the return could be great for both. Just saying.
Eight days until the start of the NFL draft, Stay Blue!

The list of players visiting the Giants (or having been confirmed for a visit) continues to grow. Among names you will recognize are Penn State middle linebacker Sean Lee (nice to see Jerry willing to hedge his bet on this one as Rolando McClain falling to the G-men in Round 1 is no sure thing and I am not so sure Jerry is giving up draft picks to grab him either); LSU Safety Chad Jones (think Taylor Mays but a bit better in coverage and even more physical, this guy is an athlete in every sense of the word, how his size and athleticism translate, we don’t know); Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman (all this guys does is make plays from the weakside, also brings in a few character concerns, so a private visit makes sense, Bowman should be around for the Giants in Round 2 of the draft).

It is also being reported that the Giants will host Iowa cornerback Amari Spievy, who plays faster than he times and is a physical corner in run support (sounds like a versatile player, hence, Jerry Reese’s interest). Nice to see the G-men focusing on players who are physical and who come from big-time programs, the G-men do love big ten talents (think Barry Cofield) and this team needs more physical, work-man type of players.

Names being associated with the Giants in the middle of round one currently include the following (drumroll please):
Rolando McClain (some experts do believe his stock is dropping a bit)
Sean Weatherspoon (most feel the middle of round one might be a bit early, but if the G-men have true interest here, a trade-down for an extra pick or two makes sense)
Jason Pierre-Paul (sure, he is a one year wonder, but doesn’t he remind us of a bigger, perhaps stronger, Osi Umeniyora? And, we do know that the Giants love stock-piling pass rushers and this guys may not contribute right away, but he has the dreaded “upside” label which makes you smile and cringe all at the same time)
C.J. Spiller (the do-it-all back likely doesn’t get out of the first ten picks, but with running backs, you never know; he is a true home-run threat and would give the G-men huge versatility on offense not to mention the special teams contributions; for my money, if he is gone, perhaps Jahvid Best is a nice alternative here in round 2)
Anthony Davis (Hard to pin down where Davis might go, he is huge, reportedly has great tape, but struggled a bit at the combine and also comes with maturity questions (questions like, “why are you so immature?)
Maurkice Pouncey (While flying a bit under the radar, Pouncey is the best true center/guard in this draft and may have the feet and strength to also play right tackle, Reese has made it a point to mention the bolstering of the interior line, this guy would do that and more. For my money, I love Pouncey over Iupati (a bit slow footed to me) every day of the week.

Stay Blue!

In the 2005 draft, the Giants surprised many by trading down from the 25th pick in the 1st round with the Pittsburgh Steelers, moving from pick 25 to pick 32 (the Steelers selected wide receiver Santonio Holmes and as a surprise to many, the Giants selected another pass rushing defensive end, Mathias Kiwanuka. The Giants also received a 3rd round pick (Gerris Wilkinson) and a 4th round pick (Guy Whimper) as part of the trade down. How did that work out for everyone?
Kiwanuka has been a heady player, pretty strong against both the run and as a pass rusher, Holmes is, as of now, no longer a member of the Steelers, shipped in a deal to the other New York team (mean green Jets) for a 5th round pick in this year’s draft (oh, and the deal comes with the news that Holmes has been suspended four (4) games to kick off the 2010 season as part of league imposed discipline for violation of the substance abuse policy. Well, I am sure being in New York will help Santonio stay out of trouble, or not. Meanwhile, the Jets make yet another trade which can be characterized as low risk, high reward, “high” in the most liberal sense of the word of course.
Now, appropriately, onto Giants news for your Monday morning. Other than quietly hosting free agent center/guard Darnell Stapleton last week, the Giants have been pretty quiet as we enter into the stretch run before next week’s draft. No word yet on whether Stapleton will be wearing blue next year, he is young guy with starting experience and some nice upside and versatility, but also lingering knee injury questions as well (that’s not good folks), hence, why we haven’t heard more yet. If his knee checks out, bring him in, if not, I continue to think that the G-men are candidates to select the best offensive lineman on the board (via staying put or via a trade down in round 1) like Anthony Davis, Maurkice Pouncey, or Mike Iupati), just have a feeling on this one.
Also, don’t discount the Giants bringing in either Derrick Morgan or Jason Pierre-Paul in Round 1, Jerry loves pass rushers and I am not so sure that the Osi situation is truly resolved or will be resolved by training camp 2010, we’ll see, but I can completely see the Giants hedging their bet here.
Starting to think that the Giants will come away with a defensive tackle prospect in the first three rounds, just not in round one (think Cam Thomas, Mike Neal), would be nice to see the G-men add a guy with some bulk to help the linebacking core (hopefully a revamped one after the draft) have clear paths to the football.
Stay Blue!

1. Giants are interested in trading up to the latter part of the top 10 to pick either Rolando McClain or C.J. Spiller.

Comment: I smell a smokescreen here, this is too good to be true. Do I think Jerry Reese has interest in Rolando McClain? Yes, he is the most highly touted middle linebacker prospect in this draft and, coincidently, the Giants have a massive need at middle linebacker. But, the Giants also have other needs to fill (depth in the secondary, both lines, and even an argument could be made for another versatile linebacker to push either Michael Boley on the weakside or Clint Sintim on the strong side).

I just don’t see Jerry parting with picks to move up when he is in prime position to pick a quality player at no. 15 or trade down a few spots, add some picks, and come away with a quality player, just doesn’t make sense. Also, arguably, Sean Weatherspoon may be a better fit, even with a switch from the outside to inside, than McClain for Perry Fewell’s defense.

2. The Giants will draft the best player available. I am even guilty of pimping this alleged truth, when in fact, the opposite is true. I am not saying the Giants are guilty of reaching for players because of need, but it is more than a coincidence that the G-men’s last three first round picks (cornerback Aaron Ross, safety Kenny Philips, and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks) all filled arguably the Giants biggest need on that particular off-season.

3. Don’t read too much into who the Giants bring in for pre-draft visits. If you will remember, the Giants never met with Aaron Ross or Kenny Philips, so the fact that both Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin attended McClain’s pro-day and brought him in for a private visit means nothing. Again, I am not saying the Giants don’t have legitimate interest in McClain, nor am I saying that he is not the cure-all for this defense, it just makes too much sense which tells me Jerry Reese has Giant interest in a few other guys at no. 15, but no one is talking.

Free Agent Updates: It is being reported that the Giants brought in Steelers free agent guard/center Darnell Stapleton for a visit this week, no word yet if Stapleton is going to be signed or not. Stapleton missed all of 2009 with a knee injury, but he is only 24, started for the super bowl Steelers team in 2008, and, if healthy, would be a great addition for depth.
Stay Blue!

Virginia LB Denzel Burrell (South Orange, NJ)
William & Mary S David Caldwell (Montclair, NJ)
Virginia DT Nate Collins (Port Chester, NY)
Rutgers FB Jack Corcoran
Rutgers TE Shamar Graves
Rutgers T Kevin Haslam
Penn State LB Jerome Hayes (Bayonne, NJ)
Kean University (Union, NJ) DT Darryl Jackson
Rutgers S Zaire Kitchen
William & Mary DT Sean Lissemore (Dumont, NJ)
Temple TE Steve Maneri (Saddlebrook, NJ)
Notre Dame C Eric Olsen (Staten Island, NY)
Stony Brook (NY) DT Chris Perri
Buffalo TE Jesse Rack (Maspeth, NY)
Duke LB Vincent Rey (Far Rockaway, NY)
Monmouth (NJ) University RB Dave Sinisi

Keep in mind that the Giants, as with all teams, get to hold 30 pre-draft visits with draft prospects (we know linebackers Rolando McClain and Sean Lee have already been scheduled and/or have visited with Jerry Reese and the crew). With rumors that the Giants have interest in trading up to the top 10 (likely to cost at least a 3rd round pick and maybe more) in an effort to bring in McClain or C.J. Spiller, the question remains whether Rolando McClain is really a good fit for Perry Fewell’s defense or if the Giants are better served drafting Sean Weatherspoon in Round 1 or TCU linebacker Daryl Washington in Round 2 and converting one of these guys to middle linebacker?

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to love about Rolando McClain, he is a leader, a true thumper in the middle, and he is widely considered to be the best linebacker in the draft. But, the success of Perry Fewell’s defense will likely depend on speed and versatility, and the knocks on McClain go to speed and his ability to be a true 4-3 middle linebacker as opposed to his inside backer position in the 3-4 defense that he starred in with Alabama.

Weatherspoon is big enough to handle the middle and his speed and coverage ability make for a very good fit, ditto for Penn State’s Sean Lee and TCU’s Daryl Washington. Weatherspoon will be available for the G-men at No. 15 (or in a potential trade down) OR the G-men could add a stud offensive lineman (think Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Iupati, or any of the top tier tackle prospects like Anthony Davis) and grab Lee or Washington in Round 2.

In a deep draft, extra picks make sense; it is obvious that the Eagles are getting younger, the Giants could use an extra pick or two to add depth on both lines, in the secondary (Grant is a good veteran, but he is a stop-gap type of player and Philips is an unknown returning from I..R.), and, obviously, holes need to be plugged at the linebacker spot.

My vote:
Stay put at pick 15 in Round 1 or trade down, I hope Jerry doesn’t give away picks to add McClain, a great player who may not be a good fit for this defense.

Big Bens’s Long Summer:
In other news, Big Ben faces the prosecutorial chopping block and it looks like this could be a long summer for Steeler fan, word has it that the case has been forwarded to the D.A. but that a decision won’t come on whether to prosecute the case for perhaps several months. Eli may be a bit boring, but I’ll take it over continued allegations of sexual misconduct. Stay Blue!

The question of the day is does Jerry Reese have any interest in taking on big Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins? With rumors that the Redskins proposed including big Al in the deal for Donovan McNabb (and the Iggles politely declined the same), speculation is abound that the Skins are trying to not so subtly move the biggest fish from free agency 2009 as they make the switch to the 3-4 defense.

Reports indicate Haynesworth is not too excited to take on the nose tackle position for Mike Shanahan and big Al and Shanahan are not exactly on friendly terms at the moment. Better yet, the Skins just paid Al a huge sum of cash (to the tune of $21 million) and the remainder of Al’s contract becomes extremely cap friendly (profootballtalk.com is reporting that the rest of big Al’s deal is in the range of 3 years, $16 million, with $9 million guaranteed). Even if we acknowledge that Haynesworth didn’t come close to living up to his big money deal, I would take him for $9 million guaranteed for the next three years. Is Jerry Reese interested?

A short year ago, the Giants tried to lure Haynesworth to the Meadowlands with an $80 million plus contract only to be outbid by Ritchie Rich who guaranteed big Al $42 million with a total contract value in excess of $100 million. I have to think that Jerry will make the call and inquire as to what Mike Shanahan wants to move a guy who is not a good fit for their defensive scheme but more importantly, is not buying into the Shanahan program. If Jerry was willing to add big Al last year, I would assume his interest remains, especially given the affordability of his contract.

It also begs the question, would it make sense to offer up some cash (so Ritchie Rich doesn’t have to swallow the entire $21 million paid out last week) and perhaps Chris Canty, who is a natural 3-4 defensive end, and who also disappointed everyone last year after being unable to stay healthy or produce as expected? For my money, I give up Canty and some coin, bring in big Al, and still add another defensive tackle in Round 3 or 4 in the draft, thereby solidifying the Giants run defense and also adding a pocket pushing presence who commands double teams on every snap (somewhere, Justin Tuck and Osi are smiling at the notion of big Al occupying multiple offensive lineman).

On the draft front, Mike Garafolo of nj.com fame indicates that the Giants have discussed trading up in the draft to add Rolando McClain or C.J. Spiller. We said it multiple times, hard to live with parting with draft picks to add Spiller, considering the needs on the defensive side of the ball, but trading up for McClain is a worth discussing in our opinion. McClain is a true thumper and would be expected to start immediately and make an impact (though I am partial to sitting pat and/or trading down to add picks and grab Sean Lee in Round 2 or Jamar Chaney in Round 3 to fill the middle linebacker void).

Let us hear your thoughts on big Albert and the Giants draft options, Stay Blue!

And, of course, wishing Donovan McNabb a Happy Easter, though I am sure my well wishing falls well short of the warm holiday wishes extended by Iggles coach, Andy Reid, and the Eagles front office, to Donovan McNabb yesterday.

I imagine the conversation went something like this:
Andy Reid: Hi kids, can you put your dad on?
McNabb’s house: Andy? Happy Easter man, I can’t talk long, I have a ham in the oven that is just about ready and my wife is working on those potatoes you love, but I sure do appreciate the Easter call.”
Andy Reid: Oh, jeez Donovan, umm, Happy Easter, that is why I called…oh, and just so you know, I just traded you to the Washington Redskins, don’t worry about over-eating today, in fact, I always liked you with a little meat on your bones, you should add about 20lbs. Anyway, wishing you a Happy Easter, see you during the season, click…”
McNabb: Andy? Andy? F$$CK ___ piece of $%*&! Andy!!

All kidding aside, you have to figure that McNabb is happy at least to not have to worry about more and more job speculation, though the reason he will no longer have to deal with media inquiries about possible trades is because well, McNabb has been traded from the Eagles after 11 seasons, and after becoming the Eagles’ all-time leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Reports indicate that the Iggles received Washington’s 2nd round draft pick in this month’s draft (no. 37 overall) and a 3rd of 4th round pick in the 2011 draft, depending on McNabb’s performance with Washington.

First, the good news: McNabb is no longer an Eagle. Now, the bad news: McNabb will still face the Giants twice per year, or more, depending on playoff scenarios. Wow. The Eagles better be very confident that Kevin Kolb is the answer, not only is Kolb’s career now defined and compared to a sure-fire hall of fame quarterback, the Eagles will stay intimately in contact with Donovan twice per year when they play division rival Washington.

What does this mean for Washington?

I can’t hear myself think over the constant shouting from the D.C. area (no, it is not because the Washington Wizards have ended another horrific season). Washington finally has a quarterback, Jason Campbell is likely to be moved for a draft pick or two, whatever they can salvage for him as any leverage Washington might have had in a Jason Campbell deal went caput with the McNabb trade. And, Washington has to be strongly looking at an offensive tackle at no. 4 (think Russell Okung/Bryan Buluga/Trent Williams) or a trade down scenario where they can pick up an extra draft pick or two because the Skins clearly need to upgrade the offensive line (many holes to fill, starting at left tackle which is an open abyss after the off-season retirement of long-time stalwart, Chris Samuels).

My bet is McNabb struggles a bit behind a poor offensive line, none of Washington’s “name” running backs (Portis, L.J., or Parker) are going to take the load off of McNabb’s shoulders, and McNabb is not going to confuse Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin any time soon (though maybe Thomas starts to realize his potential this year). Washington does have an emerging tight end in Fred Davis and a pro bowl tight end in Chris Cooley, so the cupboard is not bare, and McNabb loves to rely on his tight end in the passing game (see Brent Celek). But McNabb is going to miss having a running back who can do damage out of the backfield in the passing game.

Also, does McNabb start to immediately angle for a big money extension? I have to think McNabb is going to leverage the Skins on this one and collect a handsome pot of guaranteed money from Richie Rich, i.e., Daniel Snyder.

NFC East Fallout:

Not a bad deal for Washington as far as compensation, Washington just needs to fix their porous offensive line, but easier said than done. Rumors indicate that the Redskins were willing to trade big Albert to the Iggles as part of the deal, but the Iggles didn’t want his contract, his baggage, his attitude, his complaining, or his added off-season lbs. Have to think the already shaky relationship with big Al and the Skins may get worse before it gets better.

But, here is where the Iggles lose: Even is Kolb, as a first year starter, is successful, puts up big numbers, leads the Iggles to the playoffs, and becomes what the Iggles envision: their new quarterback of the now and the future, the Iggles still have to play McNabb twice and if the Skins end up with a better record, return to the playoff, or are somehow, directly or indirectly responsible for pushing the Iggles out of the playoffs, Reid will be forced to this question: “Why would you ever trade Donovan McNabb to a division rival?” This part makes no sense to me when the Iggles could have shipped McNabb to the NFL Siberia, the Oakland Raiders. This one could and likely will come back to bit the Iggles, which is nice.

Giant Happenings:

Tom Coughlin’s face just became a little brighter shade of red with the McNabb trade news, but really nothing changes here for the G-men other than the NFC East just got a whole lot more competitive. The onus is still on Jerry Reese to fix the defense, for Perry Fewell to dial up the right schemes to revive the pass rush, and for Osi Umeniyora, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka to remind everyone why Giants brass did not panic with the retirement of Michael Strahan.

On another front, apparently Easter Sunday was not kind to the Barber household with news that Tiki and the W are separating after 11 years of marriage (and so are the Eagles and McNabb, also after 11 years of marriage). All kidding aside, we have forgiven Tiki for his inappropriate, inaccurate, and just flat out wrong comments and criticism of Eli Manning and Coach Tom Coughlin. We don’t celebrate people’s personal misfortunes, so our thoughts are with the Barber family this morning. But, we can’t help think about the precipitous fall of Barber post-retirement: Here is a guy who was slated to be a network anchor star/personality and it just hasn’t happened. Barber retired a year too early, missing out on a Super Bowl ring and Giant immortality. In every life, a little rain must fall.

Stay Blue!