Giant Concerns on Special Teams

Jeff Feagles, retired and gone.  Domenik Hixon, torn acl, headed to injured reserve.  Rookie Chad Jones, fractured tibia and fibia, headed to injured reserve, career in jeapordy.  Not a good off-season for the Giants Special teams units.  Worse yet, the Giants special teams units didn’t exactly light the world on fire last year and now there are even greater concerns about the return game and the kicking game.

Rookie 7th round draft choice Matt Dodge will assume the punting and kickoff duties, but he is unproven, thus an giant question mark entering the season.  Domenix Hixon has been one of the better kickoff return specialists in the league the last two years, in addition to improving every year as a receiver, adding valuable depth behind the big three (Smith, Nicks, and Manningham).  Even more pressure is now put on Eli Manning and the Giants offense as they may be have to start offensive drives inside the 20 year line, in the hole.  Are there any answers here?

Competition.  Reese and Coughlin have been beating the competition drum all off season and this will be no different, except take Chad Jones out of the mix for punt return duties, leaving Aaron Ross, Antrel Rolle (are the Giants really going to risk injury to two key secondary players?), Ahmad Bradshaw, and Andre Brown?  Undrafted free agent Tim Brown might be an option, but if he makes the roster then you have to figure that Sinorice Moss is a goner, especially with Derek Hagan locked in as the special teams gunner and providing depth at wide receiver and if Ramses Barden can win the 4th wide receiver spot.

So, we again urge Jerry to look at the Buffalo Bills Roscoe Parrish, who is a special teams standout who is being paid like a 2nd or 3rd receiver.  Parrish would bring some explosiveness to the special teams unit and some versatility on offense, the Giants love players from the U, and he won’t cost more than a late round draft pick.  Jerry, make the call and Stay Blue!