July

July 16, 2008   

Giants will take close look at other quarterbacks behind Manning

Eli Manning’s job as starting quarterback is secure following the Giants’ Super Bowl win. But what about the other QB spots? Following the release of Jared Lorenzen, the team has four QBs on the roster: The other three are David Carr, who arrived from Carolina via Houston; Anthony Wright, last year’s backup down the stretch; and Andre’ Woodson, this year’s sixth-round pick. Carr gained a reputation as a 9-to-5 guy who perhaps didn’t put in as much work as he needed to, and he struggled in his one season with the Panthers. But he rejoins Giants QB coach Chris Palmer, who coached Carr during his first NFL season in Houston, and could win the job with his overall experience. Wright has done little wrong since joining the Giants, and he has limited starting experience in the league, but the Giants might want to upgrade. Woodson, it would appear, will be the third quarterback. Though some felt he would be drafted higher than the sixth round, his mechanics need tightening, and he must adapt to a different style of offense than what he ran at Kentucky.

July 11, 2008   

Will he or won’t he hold out? Giants’ Burress sends mixed messages

Giants WR Plaxico Burress recently told the New York Post that there is “no doubt” he and agent Drew Rosenhaus will win their quest to earn a new contract or an extension and report to training camp on time. Two days later, Burress undercut his statement — or at least cast doubt — by saying he didn’t know how things would end up. But we hear that both sides remain fairly optimistic that things will work out. It could come down to the 11th hour, and if Burress were to miss the first day or two of camp, it would not be the end of the world. The bottom line is that it is very likely he’ll have new money before the start of August. The Giants’ front office people are just getting back into the office after taking the very common early July vacation time that most executives around the league take. And in the next two weeks, they are expected to get back to business on getting their receiver into camp on time, likely armed with a new deal.

June

June 25, 2008   

Shockey situation embodies Giants’ Super Bowl hangover

Jeremy Shockey

With a month to go before training camp, the Giants already have faced plenty of turmoil this offseason — future Hall of Famer Michael Strahan retired and RB Ahmad Bradshaw is spending his summer vacation in jail — and there is more to come. Team sources are confident that the contract demands of WR Plaxico Burress could be alleviated before camp, but RB Brandon Jacobs wants more money (he’s in the last year of his deal) and there is the ongoing saga with TE Jeremy Shockey. Reports have spiked again that other teams are asking about Shockey's availability, and although we hear the team would like to get its star tight end healthy and into camp, the rift between player and team isn’t narrowing. Shockey is upset with what he perceives to be a lack of respect from the Giants in the form of misinformation about his situation, although the team has claimed it never spread those words. Shockey and GM Jerry Reese also had an argument behind closed doors, and there are some who believe that Shockey might have gone past the point where he can be a benefit to the team. That said, it’s likely that nothing will happen in terms of a trade before the Giants report to Albany.

June 13, 2008   

Burress sits out Giants' practices in hope for new deal, hopeful he'll get one

Missing practice was common practice last season for WR Plaxico Burress as he labored through the season on a badly sprained ankle. But missing practice — mandatory minicamp — this offseason has raised quite a few more eyebrows. With three years remaining on a six-year, $25 million deal, Burress is not participating in the Giants’ sessions and says he hopes to have a new contract worked out before training camp. Otherwise? “Me and my agent are trying to get this deal done for the future so I can remain a New York Giant, and we’re just not happy with the way things are going right now. That’s basically the main reason why I’m not out there. … I personally don’t like the way that it’s going,” he told the media last week. But he came back later to suggest that he's confident that something will get done before training camp, leaving hope that he'll report on time and be happy with his situation. Burress might have taken the attention away from lightning-rod TE Jeremy Shockey, who appears to be at odds with the team as well, but Burress hasn’t done so in a positive manner, in the world champs’ eyes.

May

May 30, 2008   

Linebacker stands as unknown for Giants

Although many wonder what the final product will look like in the secondary once the season begins, linebacker might stand as one of the Giants’ most unsettled positions. First, there’s the potential retirement of DE Michael Strahan, which could force Mathias Kiwanuka — who is penciled in as the starting strong-side linebacker — back to the defensive line. That could mean second-year LB Zak DeOssie, who played special teams almost exclusively as a rookie, suddenly is thrust into the starting lineup. Then there’s a battle on the weak side, where veteran Danny Clark figures to duke it out with Gerris Wilkinson, who has flashed some athletic ability but might not be a three-down player. If there is a guy on the spot, it is MLB Antonio Pierce, who might have to compensate for what is happening on either side of him.

May 21, 2008   

Manningham defensive about weaknesses but confident he’ll contribute

The questions that surrounded WR Mario Manningham prior to the draft might have been the primary reasons his draft stock fell before the Giants took him in the third round, whereas at one point he was considered by some to be a Round One possibility. Yet Manningham feels like the negative attention created by his poor Wonderlic scores (believed to be as low as a six out of 50 the first time he took it), a questionable work ethic and the positive marijuana tests that he admitted to are all things that now can be turned into a positive. “It’s motivation,” he told PFW recently. “I have forgotten about all of that, but I haven’t forgotten what people have said, you know? I’ve got enough on my shoulders. I have a lot to prove.” Still, when asked what he thought he most needed to improve on to crack a crowded WR situation in New York, Manningham turned defensive. “What do you think I need to improve on?” he asked rhetorically. “Everyone has their own opinion. (My goal is to) come in and contribute. Period. That’s it. To come in and make my team better than it was. I can do that.”

May 14, 2008   

Gilbride tells Shockey he wants him, but status remains unclear

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride became the latest Giants official to reiterate that Jeremy Shockey remains the team's starting tight end — as things stand now. No one has guaranteed that Shockey will remain with the team when the games start this fall, but Gilbride went as far as calling Shockey to tell him he wants his tight end this season. “It is so nebulous right now,” Gilbride said Saturday. “You just have no idea what is going to happen. Right now he is on our team, and we are planning on him being there. He will be one of the guys that we look to feature and one of the guys that we will look to depend on, and hopefully he will be here in good spirits and ready to do the things that we know he is capable of doing. But who knows? It is certainly beyond my hands.”

May 9, 2008   

Giants redo Diehl, but nothing imminent with Snee

One of the surprising items in the wake of the new contract the team signed with OLT Dave Diehl is that nothing appears to be going on with OG Chris Snee. Team officials have praised the work of Snee, who has both professional and familial ties (he’s Tom Coughlin’s son-in-law) to the Giants, and though he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl or achieved a similar accomplishment, many feel he has played close to that level. However, following Diehl’s new contract, there appears to be no new dialogue between the team and Snee’s camp about a deal for him, despite the fact he’s heading into his free-agent season. Right now, the Giants are only $3.5 million under the salary cap, and that money will be used in the short term to help sign draft picks. That figure also could change, based on veteran cuts or the possible retirement of DE Michael Strahan.

April

April 25, 2008   

Giants fail to trade Shockey after all

Updated as of 8:00 a.m. EDT Monday, April 28

The Giants held firm and refused to trade TE Jeremy Shockey, despite talks with the Saints going right up until New Orleans used the 40th overall pick, which was a key consideration in any potential deal. GM Jerry Reese downplayed the Shockey trade talk all through the process, saying various forms of “Jeremy Shockey is our starting tight end.” And Reese continued to echo that sentiment afterwards. Team sources say that a deal anywhere else before the season remains unlikely. The Giants have a good but not great TE situation with youngsters Kevin Boss and Michael Matthews but would need to gain help, likely from a veteran, at the position if Shockey were dealt.

April 18, 2008   

Giants might take a look at O-tackle if right guy is there

Coming off a Super Bowl title, the Giants can approach the draft as a chance to reload. There are no glaring needs, though defense is the more spotty side of the ball following the departure of two starters, S Gibril Wilson and WLB Kawika Mitchell. But we hear that the Giants — who typically are super-secretive this time of year — might be very interested in adding an offensive tackle, possibly with their first-round pick (No. 31 overall). GM Jerry Reese hinted recently that OLT Dave Diehl might be better-suited to play inside. The Giants are known to be a little unpredictable on Draft Day, especially with their first-round picks. Take last year, when they drafted CB Aaron Ross, who had never visited with the team and was shocked himself to be picked by the Giants. And two years ago, no one pictured Mathias Kiwanuka being the choice for the DE-rich team when Ernie Accorsi, Reese's predecessor, was calling the shots. The Giants were well-represented at the Boston College pro day and are said to be enamored with OT Gosder Cherilus, but there’s a good chance he will be off the board when they select at No. 31.

April 2, 2008   

Umenyiora wants to redo deal but Giants don't have to panic

All of a sudden, the calm and quiet of the Giants’ post-Super Bowl euphoria has hit a bit of a snag. Among the players who did not report to the start of the Giants’ offseason workouts (which are voluntary) was DE Osi Umenyiora, who is coming off a terrific season and perhaps believes he is a bit underpaid. In fact, sources say that Umenyiora might not be seen for quite a while — perhaps after the rest of his teammates report for training camp. Although GM Jerry Reese said from the league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., that he’s not concerned about a potential holdout, the word through the grapevine is that Umenyiora believes the six-year, $41 million deal he signed a little more than two years ago no longer fits his pay scale. He reportedly is looking for a big raise. Typically, very few teams are willing to redo deals with more than two years left on a contract, much less three. And the Giants might be in a strong enough position where they can hold off Umenyiora’s demands for at least this year. DE Michael Strahan has yet to make a decision about coming back, but many people believe he will return, and OLB Mathias Kiwanuka is reportedly ahead of schedule on his rehab of the broken leg that cost him most of last season. He could return to playing defensive end to take Umenyiora’s spot, as could Super Bowl hero Justin Tuck. The Giants are potentially loaded at defensive end.

March

March 28, 2008   

Giants will address safety at some point

Safety has been an annual position of concern for the Giants for many years. Lo, the team hasn’t had a Pro Bowler at the position since Terry Kinard, in 1988. Sure, Gibril Wilson played well and earned quite a contract from the Raiders this offseason, but the Giants were not even in the same financial ballpark in terms of matching those numbers. So, the spot will require further help, even with the addition of veteran Sammy Knight. The Giants consider their safety positions nearly interchangeable, but both could use some athleticism. Knight and James Butler, the de facto starters for now, both lack range and might not hold up for 16 games if the Giants run a lot of two-deep coverages. One intriguing possibility: CB R.W. McQuarters, who played well down the stretch, could move to safety if a top prospect isn’t found in the draft. It is not considered a strong year at all for the safety position, outside the top few players available.

March 19, 2008   

Ware could find place on Giants

The most interesting news around the Giants lately was the rumor that the Falcons asked for fourth-string RB Danny Ware as part of a trade package that might have netted CB DeAngelo Hall. The Giants, obviously, passed and are watching as Hall apparently is getting traded to Oakland, along with a new contract. Though the Giants likely were not going to give Hall the deal he wanted, the intriguing subplot is that Ware is in the team’s plans for now. With Derrick Ward re-signing, joining playoff stalwarts Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, Reuben Droughns likely will get axed. But Ware either could stick as a fourth back because the team thinks highly of him, or he could be trade bait for a team that finds itself thin at running back in training camp, a la the Ryan Grant deal last year. The Giants hypothetically could point to the Grant trade and ask for more than the sixth-round pick they received for him in any future deal involving Ware.

March 14, 2008   

Carr is choice to back up Manning; rookie may join them

Two No. 1 overall picks at quarterback? The Giants indeed have that situation after signing David Carr Wednesday to become Eli Manning’s backup. The team said that it hoped to improve the depth at quarterback, and it had thought a deal could be worked out early in free agency with Todd Collins, but he quickly re-signed with the Redskins. Carr struggled in Carolina last season, but a team source says the Giants feel Carr’s struggles had a lot to do with the Panthers’ porous offensive line. Don’t be surprised, either, if the team drafts a quarterback this year, though not with a high pick. Anthony Wright is likely gone, and Jared Lorenzen is probably past the point of developing, so there could be a spot on the roster for a developmental guy with a high upside. He just won’t be the third No. 1 pick at the position.

March 7, 2008   

Strahan won’t handcuff team with decision, but will he return?

First, Brett Favre. Then Warren Sapp. Heck, even Sean Landetta hung up his cleats this week. Might Michael Strahan be the next big-name player to call it a career? Both team and player have been silent the past few days on the matter, and frankly the Giants aren’t pressing Strahan one way or another. Not that they don’t want him back — it’s just that no matter what happens, the Giants should be in good shape. Linebacker remains an area of need, and with Kawika Mitchell going to Buffalo, that need is compounded. But Mathias Kiwanuka has the flexibility to play down as an end if Strahan retires or up as a linebacker on the strong side, where he was starting to develop before getting hurt last season.

February

Feb. 29, 2008   

Strahan says he'll let Giants know his plans before draft

DE Michael Strahan, who famously flirted with retirement during training camp last summer, is said to be mulling the same possibility now that the Giants have won the Super Bowl. Reports have come out that he will let the team know what he’s doing by mid-April, before the NFL draft. Though Strahan will say that the decision has nothing to do with money, it’s always a factor. Strahan is due $4 million next season and could ask for a raise. But with Osi Umenyiora and Plaxico Burress — who are a little higher on the priority list — also expected to ask for more coin, Strahan might have to settle for playing at that number or calling it a career. Team sources have taken stock of the situation and expect him ultimately to return next season, likely sitting out part of training camp again in a predetermined arrangement with head coach Tom Coughlin.

Feb. 22, 2008   

Giants eschew franchise tag on Wilson, leaving door open

The Giants decided that the franchise tag was too expensive to place on free-agent S Gibril Wilson. But with the Cowboys placing the tag on Ken Hamlin, Wilson’s price and demand could go up comparatively. The rival Eagles are said to be hot on Wilson’s trail, and the fact that he fit in well with the Giants’ defense — which is very similar to what the Eagles run — would make him an even better fit. The 2008 franchise guarantee for safeties is $4.396 million for a one-year deal; the transition figure isn’t much different at $3.893 million. Wilson made $1.3 million this past season and is due for a raise, but the Giants clearly believe he’s not worth paying in the $4 million range. If they can’t re-sign Wilson, they likely would have to go outside the roster to find his replacement. Michael Johnson and James Butler had their moments last season, but both are strong safety types, and the club is said to want to improve on Butler.

Feb. 15, 2008   

Reese says Shockey will be a Giant in 2008

You can put to bed the rumors about Jeremy Shockey playing for another team next season. GM Jerry Reese not only confirmed, amid rampant trade rumors involving the injured tight end, that Shockey would be on the Giants’ roster next season, Reese also told Newsday succinctly that Shockey “is our starting tight end.” The rumors made little sense from a financial standpoint anyway, considering that Shockey is slated to earn $2.2 million next season along with a $2.4 million reporting bonus. Cutting him after June 1 would cost the Giants a salary-cap hit of approximately $3.5 million. He signed a five-year, $26 million extension in 2005 that appears quite reasonable when stacked next to the deals given to elite tight ends such as Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Todd Heap and Alge Crumpler since then. All of those players either got more guaranteed money, a longer contract or more total dollars than Shockey in their contracts. In addition to not being concerned about Shockey’s behavior or attitude (or his injury, although Shockey is not close to being healthy yet), the team also was not ready to hand over the starting reins to replacement Kevin Boss, who performed admirably down the stretch but has work to do as an unpolished player.

Feb. 6, 2008   

Giants should remain in good shape even with potential losses

Even if Michael Strahan decides to retire now that he has a Super Bowl title, the Giants’ defense should be in phenomenal shape. The team has only two regular starters bound for free agency — S Gibril Wilson and LB Kawika Mitchell — and both could be re-signed. Plus, with ­Mathias Kiwanuka expected to rejoin the team in full health next season, there’s no drop-off from the pass rush. Kiwanuka will line up at a number of spots, but he’s expected to be more of an end — whether or not Strahan retires. The biggest potential loss, of course, is coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, should he be wooed and subsequently offered the Redskins’ head-coaching position. And head coach Tom Coughlin, just as he did to find Spagnuolo, might have to go outside the organization to find a replacement, unless he thinks LB coach Bill Sheridan could continue what Spagnuolo began.