Jason Cole has a report out today the highlights the NFL players who should be feeling the most pressure heading into training camp. At #6, Cole has Antrel Rolle listed:
"After a season of awful play from the secondary, the Giants gave Rolle a reported five-year, $37 million contract, including $15 million guaranteed. That makes him one of the highest paid safeties in the game, depending on how you calculate the numbers. The problem is Rolle is not really in the class of Troy Polamalu(notes) or Ed Reed(notes), but his contract and the New York market may create outlandish expectation, particularly with a championship still fresh in people’s minds. The test is how fast Rolle and the rest of the secondary can get on page with new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell."
I think more pressure is on Perry Fewell than on Antrel Rolle, since there are going to be 3 capable safeties back there this year. Actually, one could then argue that Tom Coughlin should be feeling the most of the weight, not only since he lobbied for Fewell but because owner John Mara had made it crystal clear at the end of last season that he will not tolerate settling for the status quo. Many people feel unless the Giants record another stellar year with a run deep into the playoffs, Coughlin will be out in NY. I’ve not seen much by way of Rolle or Fewell getting that kind of ultimatum in the press – and the fact is that it’s going to take one heck of a 2010 season to erase the bitterness of last years collapse. Keeping Bill Sheridan in charge of the worst Giants defense in memory – even in the face of weekly challenges from analysts that pointed to questionable scheme decisions on defense… that comes ultimately back to Coughlin. Sheridan is gone, thank goodness, but If there is another disappointing season and it can be traced back to more inaction by Tom Coughlin, its going to be over for him.