Phillips Progressing
Safety Kenny Phillips who missed the majority of last season due to knee surgery is claiming his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule. Although Phillips has not tested the knee in extensive workouts, the medical team and the coaches believe he will be ready for training camp.
Jacobs' Problem: "I was hurt..."
RB Brandon Jacobs had a subpar season last year and took a boatload of criticism from the fans and the media. Last week, Jacobs revealed that he injured his knee opening day agaisnt Washington and the knee never fully recovered. It was scoped a few weeks ago. With injuries to both Ahmad Bradshaw and DJ Ware, the Giants were relying on Jacobs to carry the load. They braved it, that's for sure but opponents don't care if your hurting.....no wonder the running game tailed off.
Plaxico Mansion in Foreclosure
We just can't get enough of Plaxico news. Today it is being reported in the New York Post that Burress' $4 million Florida home is in foreclosure. Man, has this guy's life gotten away from him.....
Osi Still Stirring the Pot
Please be quiet, Osi Umenyiora. If you want to start at DE, you must get back to sacking QBs. That's how you will regain your starting status. Presenting an already irritated front office with ultimatums is only going to get you traded to a place you'll really hate.....
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Free Agency May Not Help Giants As Expected
All I’m hearing from fans and pundits these days is “the Giants should get this guy in free agency” kind of stuff. That’s all great, but it appears many do not understand the reality or the rules of free agency in an “uncapped” season.
The threshold for a player to qualify as an unrestricted free-agent (UFA) jumps from four years of service to six. Under these changes, 212 players that would have been UFAs are now RFAs (restricted free agents).
Translation: The pool to get help in free agency is much thinner. The flip side is teams won’t lose as many players, either.
According to Football’s Future.com, of the ten top-rated free-agent linebackers available come March 5th, nine of them are restricted. Translation: teams are going to pay through the nose if they want to sign one of these players.
Only Arizona’s Karlos Dansby is unrestricted. He already has been “franchised’ twice by the Cardinals and he has expressed a desire to move on. He most likely will, and he’ll have plenty of suitors. The Giants among them.
Of the RFAs, you have some solid talent that most likely will be tendered at a high price: a first and third round draft choice. On that list are DeMeco Ryans, Barrett Ruud, Kirk Morrison, Shawne Merriman, D’Qwell Jackson and Thomas Davis.
It would be costly for the Giants, who loathe parting with high draft picks, to lure one of these away from their current teams. The general consensus is that very few of them will be changing teams.
Ryans is worth the package in my estimation. If they can pry him out of Houston, sign Dansby and draft Rolando McClain, I’ll see you in Dallas next February.
Ex-Giants Strahan, Shockey Feeling "Blue"
Former Giants Michael Strahan and Jeremy Shockey haver neve been ones to mice words. Yesterday, both Giant greats showed they still have a driving passion for Big Blue more than two years after their Giant careers ended.
Osi: "I wont be a backup..."
Okay, Osi. Then stop playing like one. Last season, Umenyiora was rendered invisible most weeks by a single offensive tackle. He wants to prove that he can still be an elite defensive end, but he also wants to keep his starting position and play every down.
He won't settle for being a backup.
"It's not something that I'm going to do. If I'm asked to come back there and do that then I'll just stop playing football."
Granted, he was coming off a lost season where he had major knee surgery. To that, former teammate Michael Strahan came to Osi's defense. He said it usually takes two seasons after surgery for a player to get back into the groove.
"Next season will be a year in which I expect him to do big things because now that knee injury will really be behind him and he can make the mark that he's made in his previous seasons."
Plaxico Vows to Play Again
Former Giant WR Plaxico Burress is determined to return to the NFL once he completes his commitment to the New York State Department of Corrections.
In an interview with his former coach, Bill Cowher (set to air Sunday), Burress said he is staying in shape and hopes to play again in 2011. Cowher believes Burress' contrition is genuine and is truly sorry for his actions. He also beleives Burress will make the most of any second chance, should it arise.
"He admittedly blames no one except himself. He's had a lot of time to reflect."
Jeremy Shockey, in Miami for the Super Bowl as a member of the New Orleans Saints, had only good things to say about his former teammate.
“It’s something I would like to see,” Shockey said. “Plaxico’s a great guy. He made a mistake like all of us do. Plaxico’s a freak of nature,” he said. “He can do whatever he puts his mind to. It would not shock me to see as soon as he gets out for someone to pick him up and really be a force like he was with the Giants.”
“He was a great teammate. I consider him a great friend. He’s always a good guy to have in the locker room. Teaches young guys how to run routes. He’s a good guy. He just made a bad mistake.”
Strahan also had something to add regarding Burress. "....he has a lot of hunger to prove himself, to show that he can still play and do well at it, and nobody could pretty much cover him half the time anyway and I doubt they'll be able to do it when he comes out."
Nunn Hired as Defensive Line Coach
Robert Nunn, was previously the d-line coach down in Tampa Bay and comes highly regarded according to sources.
HC Tom Coughlin: “Robert Nunn has been in professional football for 10 years and he has coached some outstanding players at every stop along the way. He is a guy who did an outstanding job on the board with the X’s and O’s in the interview process. More than that, he is a guy who, by virtue of how he presented himself, I feel very strongly will bring the best out of the players that he coaches. He will provide structure. He will gain their trust. He will prove to the players the techniques that are important. When that happens and they buy into it, I think the results will come back for us. He will coach a very important position on our team, one that we will rely on heavily to bring us back to the level of championship play.”
DC Perry Fewell: “We’re very excited to have Robert Nunn join our football staff. He comes highly recommended from some of the other coaches throughout the league. I look for him to bring to our defensive line fundamentals, technique, toughness, energy and to bring us together as a group to help make us a good defensive line unit.”
Nunn’s coaching resume also includes stops in Green Bay, Washington and Miami.
