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| July 3 Victor Cruz cemented his role on the team last year. And rather than jockey for playing time or even a roster spot, the once-undrafted wide receiver enters taining camp as one of the go-to guys for the first time of his career. Now the focus shifts to which player will be the next in line, and Cruz will be alongside watching and giving whatever help he can. Giants LB/DE Mathias Kiwanuka was perhaps the best player on the team that nobody talked about last season. While players like Jason Pierre-Paul and Victor Cruz had breakout seasons and garnered all the media attention, the seventh-year veteran out of Boston College quietly had 84 tackles in his first full season at the strong-side linebacker position, which was good for the fourth highest total on the team. A former tailback at Rutgers, Joe Martinek can play both the feature back role and fullback out of the backfield. After going undrafted, Martinek brings that versatility to one of the few teams remaining in the NFL with a traditional fullback in Henry Hynoski. He talks about that versatility, being a Jersey kid and his transition to the NFL. July 2 It has been a frustrating spring for German-born defensive tackle Markus Kuhn, the Giants' seventh-round draft pick. Due to visa issues, Kuhn was reduced to being a spectator at the team's OTAs and spring minicamp, an occurrence he said was not fun. Come July 26, Kuhn is hoping it will be an entirely different ball game for him. July 1 Tom Coughlin may not have thrown a strike to Russell Martin, but the two-time Super Bowl champion coach of the New York Giants was relieved he didn't bounce the first pitch prior to Saturday's Yankees-White Sox game at the Stadium. What Will Hill does on the field isn't the problem, it's off the field where he veers off course. After recording four interceptions and proving his worth on special teams, the 6-1, 207-pound safety left school a year early to begin his NFL career. But that career never got under way last year. Hill went undrafted. And unsigned. All season long. Twenty years after Boston College safety Jay McGillis died of leukemia, his memory remains intertwined in countless lives, most notably Tom Coughlin's. In his name, Coughlin established The Jay Fund. It has allotted $3.5 million in grants to families suffering through cancer's financial costs. June 30 Adrian Tracy was a defensive end in college, a linebacker in his first two seasons with the Giants and now is making the move back to defensive end. It's probably a good thing Tracy tries to emulate his game after Mathias Kiwanuka, the Giants' hybrid linebacker/defensive end. June
29 Chris
Canty was on a football field showing kids in Washington Heights how to play
football on Thursday. By the end of next month at training camp, he hopes to get
clearance to be back on a football field and begin practicing with his Giants
teammates. Top 100 of 2012 The Giants finished with five players making the poll as voted on by their NFL peers. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was the first to go at No. 90, followed by defensive end Justin Tuck (62) and WR Victor Cruz (39). After being left off last the list entirely a year ago, two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning came in at No. 31, while rising star Jason Pierre-Paul was the highest ranked Giant at No. 24. Stadium
News NFL
News June 28 Fullback Henry Hynoski caught two passes for 19 yards against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI and expects his role in the passing game to expand in 2012. Kicker Lawrence Tynes, who in January kicked the Giants to the Super Bowl for the second time in his career, is hoping to parlay his success into an autobiography to be released as soon as this year. Mark Herzlich suffered an ankle injury - including the four-game postseason run that culminated in victory in Super Bowl XLVI. Ironically, it was Herzlich's injury that prompted the Giants to re-sign Chase Blackburn. With Hakeem Nicks' status unsettled thanks to a foot injury and the departure of Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham, this all bodes well for rookie Rueben Randle. Should Eli Manning, amid anticipated double-coverage against Cruz for the foreseeable future, decide to pass the magic once again, the second-round pick may be the most likely candidate to emerge in 2012. Victor Cruz now has his own fashion line, a book coming out in late July titled Out of the Blue, and his most prized possession of all - a Super Bowl ring that he helped bring back to upstate New York after setting a franchise record in receiving yards (1,536) in a single season. If last year's Super Bowl run taught us anything, it's to make a plan and stick with it. And that starts from the top on down. Giants President and CEO John Mara didn't change course when the Giants were in the middle of a four-game losing streak in the heart of the season. Rather, he kept to his philosophy of continuity. June 27 Chris Canty doesn't just believe Jason Pierre-Paul is the most versatile defensive end in the game today. He thinks JPP can be as good as one of the all-time greats -- Reggie White. "JPP's ability to play any position along the defensive front is what makes him tremendously special. He can play the shade, the two technique, the three technique ... he can do it all ... anything you want him to do along the defensive front, he can do." John Mara remembers the Giants organization being torn on who to draft days before the 2004 NFL Draft. Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger? We all know what has happened since. But it is always fun to look back and Mara fondly reminisced about drafting Manning on WFAN radio on Tuesday. Stadium
News June 26 Four days after reporting to East Rutherford, Chase Blackburn was at middle linebacker against the undefeated Packers and picked off Aaron Rodgers. He would start the remaining eight games for the Giants -- four in the regular season and four in the playoffs. He capped of the improbable run with a crucial interception of Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLVI. He then became a free agent again, this time he would surely land somewhere. The question was where. That was answered in April when the Giants brought him back again. After four injury-plagued seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Keith Rivers is glad to be a New York Giant. "It's exciting being with a team that is contending every year," the linebacker said. Rivers missed the entire 2011 season with a wrist injury, then was traded to the Giants in April for a fifth-round pick. The trade of a young former first-round pick for so little led some to label Rivers a bust, but he sees it as just bad luck. Former
Giants June 24 Heading into the 2012 season, the New York Giants have talent at nearly every position on the field. The depth chart is filled with young, promising players that have the potential to become indispensable aspects of the team's future. That being said, in the NFL, talent does not always translate into productivity. NFC
East News June 23 Deon Grant remains unsigned and the Giants appear content to see what they have at safety on the roster for now. Second-year safety Tyler Sash is considered the leading candidate to replace Grant. Sash, though, battled a hamstring injury in OTAs and minicamp. The Giants signed Stevie Brown and Chris Horton during free agency and added Will Hill, Jojo Nicholas and Janzen Jackson as undrafted free agents. It's been almost a year since Da'Rel Scott broke off a 97-yard touchdown run against the Chicago Bears and then added a 65-yard touchdown on a fake punt and 114 yards rushing in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots. That success only netted him five rushes for 16 yards in the regular season, as the seventh-round pick's biggest contribution came via his 14 kick returns for a 24.4-yard average. Can Ramses Barden FINALLY step up? Can Domenik Hixon stay healthy, and just how much does athleticism does he have left after two major knee injuries? Jerrel Jernigan? The vibe that you get is that the Giants just aren't thrilled with his development. Reuben Randle? The Giants can talk about him being 'NFL ready' all they want, but how many receivers pick up the Giants offense and get on the same page with Eli Manning right from the start? Stadium
News June 22 Ramses Barden swears he has what it takes to contribute. And he shows it in flashes during practice, as he did during OTAs and at last week's minicamp. But Barden, a third-round pick out of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in 2009, has been a disappointment when it matters most in his three seasons - he has 15 career catches for 174 yards and is still without a touchdown. The Giants were thrilled when they drafted Austin in the second round of the 2011 draft. They felt they had landed a player who could have been a possible first-round pick had he not missed all of the previous 2010 season due to the North Carolina NCAA agent scandal. But Austin ended up missing a second straight season of football after he tore his pectoral muscle in a preseason game last year. Earlier in the offseason, Giants GM Jerry Reese hinted that veteran outside linebacker Michael Boley could shift to the middle - a position the team needs to fill. But right now Chase Blackburn is there, and Boley is on the outside - something he doesn't foresee changing right now. "I'm still the outside linebacker," he said by phone on Wednesday. Call it whatever you want - a do-over, a restart, a second chance at a first impression. The truth lies somewhere in between for cornerback Prince Amukamara this year. Despite not having an offseason and missing the first 10 weeks with a foot injury as a rookie, the 2011 first-round pick wasn't exactly kept in a bubble. Rather, he was in meetings learning the system. It showed when he returned in Week 11 and had five tackles and an interception. CB Brandon Bing spent last season on the Giants practice squad after being released by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. The energetic "Bada" Bing, as coaches and teammates call him, talks about winning a spot on the active roster, how having an offseason has helped his development. Belleville High alumnus Carmen Pizzano recently received his Super Bowl ring for being a member of the NFL's New York Giants. Pizzano, the assistant video director for the team, gained his second ring with the team. He was with the Giants during their Super Bowl XLII championship and was also with the team in 2001, when the Giants played the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV and were defeated. Former
Giants June 21 The Giants lost key role player Dave Tollefson in free agency. Who will answer the call in his absence? He has just 10 career sacks but he collected five of those sacks last season. Logic would say the Giants should use Kiwanuka more as a pass rusher with Tollefson gone. But the Giants insist Kiwanuka will remain in his dual hybrid role. Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers isn’t exactly making any guarantees when asked if he expects to be available for the start of training camp in Albany next month. The lack of vigor in his voice indicates Rogers himself wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants decided to end their relationship soon. Giants offensive lineman Kevin Boothe has bounced between center, guard and tackle in his career. He's currently penciled in as the starting left guard and is hopeful he'll be able to lock down a starting spot for a full season. Former
Giants June 20 Special Report - Let's play a game. How about True or False? OK? Ready? When the Giants were on the clock prior to making their first round selection, they just missed the running back they wanted. True or False? They insist the answer is False, that rather than Doug Martin of Boise State they wanted David Wilson of Virginia Tech all along. Eli
Manning spent Tuesday morning at a Dunkin' Donuts in Secaucus, working behind
the counter as part of his new partnership with the donut chain. But a few hours
before that, he was working out at the Giants facility. "Obviously, I've
tried to manage my time well," Manning said. Ever since Antonio Pierce's injury and subsequent retirement, linebacker has been considered somewhat of a weakness. Fans have clamored for the team to draft or sign a high-profile linebacker. But the Giants put a higher premium on their pass rush and have often gotten by with two linebackers and three safeties in the past two seasons. Domenik Hixon,is coming off his second ACL tear in as many years. Hixon figures to have crack at replacing Mario Manningham alongside Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and is likely to play an important role in the return game. What's the toughest part of coming back off such an injury? "It's just a mental thing man. A lot of things are blown out of proportion as far as coming back." Matt McCants, the Giants' sixth-round pick, still hears jokes about his tuba-playing days in high school. What has been his most difficult adjustment from college to the pros? "The playbook. Learning what to do, different formations. In college you can possibly get away with knowing what you do, but in the NFL as far as the Giants offense, you got to know what everybody does because everybody's tied together." From quality control to teaching wide receivers, Sean Ryan is in his first season as quarterbacks coach and hit the ground running this offseason with Eli Manning. With Manning entering his ninth season, there's not much new material for Ryan to present, but it's all about the details at this level. Defensive tackle Marvin Austin answered questions during the mini camp, "I'm at a good weight now and my conditioning is fine. I'm coming back from a long time away from the game so there was going to be an adjustment. But I'm going to be ready for camp and I'm working hard to make sure I'm ready for camp and beyond." June 19 Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell says the Giants have two plans at cornerback -- one with a healthy Thomas and one in case Thomas' knee isn't ready when the team reports to training camp on July 26 in Albany. "We have a backup plan in case he is not ready," Fewell said. "But he is heavily in our plans." Fact or Fiction: JPP's Sack Total: Jason Pierre Paul will have more sacks this year than last. EISEN:" Fact - Opposing teams will pay more attention to JPP than they did in 2011. But with so many other good linemen (Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, etc.), plus Mathias Kiwanuka, only so many blocking resources can be devoted to Pierre-Paul. I think the big man will have a big, big season." Over Father's Day weekend, Eli Manning recalled growing up around sports and what role his dad has in his life. Sit on the top row and keep your mouth shut. That was Archie Manning's basic theory when his boys were playing sports growing up. June 18 Eli Manning said it's been awhile since he picked up a baseball. Still, the Giants two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback was honored to throw out the first pitch prior to Sunday's Mets-Reds game at Citi Field. "I know you can't one-hop it down there, so if I miss, I'll miss high," Manning said beforehand. Entering his eighth season with the Giants, Chase Blackburn never, ever has readied himself for a training camp in the position he's in now. His name appears at the top of the defensive depth chart when it comes to listing the pecking order at middle linebacker. Terrell Thomas was starting to feel sorry for his circumstance. He was poised to make the transition from good player to great, from respected in his own locker room to being feared by the opposition. Then with a sudden and cruel twist of fate, all of those expectations were gone. Adrian Tracy hopes to contribute this season. His role this year will be as a pass rusher, where in certain packages he'll line up at defensive end awhile in others, he'll line up at linebacker. It's a challenge that Tracy said he's looking forward to mastering.. In 2010, Giants tight end Bear Pascoe would sit in a makeshift classroom at the University of Albany with his fellow tight ends as their position coach, Mike Pope drew up plays that the offense was going to run the next day in training camp. When it came time, however, to run those plays, only one guy from that classroom - Pascoe - was healthy enough to go out there and bring Pope's lessons to life on the field. June
17 Everything
went wrong right from the start of Prince Amukamara's rookie season. From
an offseason lost to the lockout, to a broken foot in his second NFL practice,
to missing the first nine regular-season games, his first year in the NFL seemed
at times like a lost season. That sort of makes 2012 seem ... "like this
is my rookie year?" Amukamara says. You can always say one thing about Bill Belichick: He doesn't let emotion and friendship get in the way of business. As a result, there is a new Border War in town. The Giants, the team he cried for, vs. the Patriots, the team he cheated for. Belichick's fondness for the Giants didn't prevent him from really sticking it to them last week when he claimed injured tight end Jake Ballard off waivers when the Giants were trying to sneak him through. Tom Brady's most indelible Super Bowl memory? The touchdown to David Patten in SB36? The drive to get the win at the end of that Super Bowl? The other two Super Bowl wins? Not exactly. "My recent one, this year after the game, I was in my hotel room after the game," Brady began, adding, "and this was not a good memory, by the way. I was going to bed and I was talking to my wife after the game. June 16 Justin Tuck lets you in on the true inspiration for his new facemask. Before this locomotive of a facemask, Tuck had six sideways bars (none diagonal), which he first wore in early October last season to limit the surface for opponents to grab onto. Now his teammates are clamoring for one just like it. "Everybody is like, 'Can I get that facemask?' No, it's exclusive to me, no one else can have it," Tuck said. The Giants players may have gotten their Super Bowl bling back in May, but the hardware is worth another look after Big Blue's PR chief Pat Hanlon sent out a picture Friday featuring those famous blue Tiffany boxes. The ring obviously is the real reward for Big Blue's Super glory, but those boxes sure are special, too. Eli Manning said he was "shocked" when the Patriots claimed his favorite tight end target, Jake Ballard, earlier this week. "Obviously just shocked," Manning said, when asked about Ballard in an interview on "SportsCenter." Former
Giants June 15 In recent off-season workouts, the Giants used heart-rate monitors, global positioning systems and hydration/nutrition monitoring to better evaluate how much energy a player had exerted and how quickly he was recovering. About 35 Giants players volunteered to wear the devices during workouts, as well as give urine samples to measure hydration. During workouts, data could be tracked in real time on laptop computers. Eli
Manning on the shorter offseason, "It is a little shorter and some of
the rules are a little different. But I thought the guys had a good focus and
practices were sharp. And we got some good workouts. We have to make sure we just
continue to stay in shape, keep working out, keep running so when we come into
training camp everybody is healthy and ready to go." Rookie
running back David Wilson has impressed offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride
with his explosiveness. "I don't know if we've had a guy as explosive, regardless
of the position, here," said Gilbride of the Giants' first-round pick. "Tiki was
a tremendous all-around back, Brandon would give you something, Ahmad gives you
toughness, but this guy's got the explosion I'm not sure how many guys in the
league have." The future is now: Rueben Randle could be a starter this season if Hakeem Nicks is slow to recover from a broken right foot. Although Nicks plans to be back in action in time for the latter part of training camp, the Giants are in need of dependable targets for Eli Manning. The Giants quarterback acknowledges that there is much work ahead but that Randle may end up being precisely the guy to shore up the hole at this critical skill position. Terrell
Thomas said he expects to enter the season as the starting cornerback opposite
Corey Webster and it's a matter of registering as many reps as possible between
now and the start of the season; he says he's already overcome the injury mentally.
With Aaron Ross in Jacksonville, the Giants are hopeful Thomas can return to his
usual form, which resulted in five interceptions in 2009 and 2010. Undrafted yet undeterred, Justin Trattou made the Giants last summer and spent part of his rookie season on the active roster, seeing action on special teams in six games, including the 2011 opener at Washington. Now the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder wants to challenge a year later for a spot in defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's defensive end rotation, notably the one left vacant when Dave Tollefson departed via free agency and signed with the Oakland Raiders. New NY Giants linebacker Keith Rivers knows he is reclamation project. After watching Rivers underachieve for three seasons - and not play a down in 2011 due to a wrist injury - the Bengals dealt him to the Giants for a fifth-round pick. Rivers, 26, understood Cincinnati's frustration. June
14 Tom
Coughlin got the better of Bill Belichick for the second time in a Super Bowl
when the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in February. Although the
Patriots' move to claim injured tight end Jake Ballard on Tuesday--a day after
the Giants waived him--was perceived as a little gamesmanship, Belichick shot
down that notion Wednesday.
Bill
Belichick was able to exact a little bit of revenge on the New York Giants
for their Super Bowl victory, on Tuesday. But the move left a sour taste in the
mouth of Giants head coach Tom Coughlin on Wednesday afternoon. "Discouraged
is a minor description," Coughlin said of the situation. "Very disappointed." Bear
Pascoe spent a final night with his roommate on Tuesday. They reminisced,
lamented the circumstances that separated them and watched television. But they
are no longer teammates, so the Giants could be searching for a long-term solution
at tight end. Pascoe, the longest-tenured tight end on the team, would like to
fill that role. Giants
tight end Travis Beckum said he's gained 20 pounds and now weighs 242 pounds,
which is the biggest he's been in his NFL career. "It's really hard for me
to gain weight, so I'm actually really excited about this," the fourth-year
tight end said today during a break at the team's minicamp. "I'm going to
take what I can get." During
the second day of minicamp, the defense looked strong for the majority of
practice. Cornerback Justin Tryon picked off a David Carr pass. And rookie cornerback
Jayron Hosley and safety Steve Brown dropped two would-be interceptions while
safety Antrel Rolle tipped another pass off Eli Manning. Coach
Coughlin will place a major emphasis into turning the Giants return game into
a solid weapon. One of the mysteries still to be solved on the 2012 Giants is
who will return punts and kickoffs. Coach Tom Coughlin said today several players
could assume those roles. "We would like to have a committee of guys,"
Coughlin said at the team's minicamp at the Timex Performance Center. Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty said his knee was "80 percent" last season. He also said his being sidelined right now following surgery disproves the theory of Green Bay Packers' fans and Aaron Rodgers that he faked an injury in the playoffs. June
13 Bill
Belichick's quest to take over the world with an army of tight ends has cost
the New York Giants Jake Ballard. The Giants waived Ballard, who tore his ACL
in the Super Bowl, on Monday thinking he'd clear waivers and they'd be able to
sign him right back and put him on injured reserve because he was probably going
to miss the season anyway. The
Giants are looking for a tight end who can become a reliable target for Eli
Manning in 2012. The steady and dependable Bear Pascoe is still here, the team
signed free agent Martellus Bennett, incumbent Travis Beckum is rehabbing his
own torn ACL, and fourth-round draft choice Adrien Robinson is finally here. An
exuberant Tom Coughlin spoke with reporters on Tuesday morning at the start
of the Giants' veteran minicamp. These are the final three days the coaching staff
can work with the players prior to training camp, which commences at the end of
July in Albany. Victor Cruz, who stood for a good half hour at his locker accommodating the media, said the biggest lesson that he has learned, and one he hopes to impress upon his teammates, is to always remain true to who you are and remember where you came from. A
year ago, Jason Pierre-Paul could have walked almost anywhere without attracting
attention. But after becoming one of the NFL's very best defensive players while
helping his team win the Super Bowl, the Giants' third-year defensive end is an
attention magnet Giants defensive tackle Shaun Rogers has sat out the team's OTAs the past few weeks and won't participate in this week's minicamp because of an elbow injury. Still, he said he isn't worried about the missed time in the spring. Will Beatty went from doing practically no physical activity following surgery to repair a detached retina last year to partaking in what he called "Olympic drills" at the start of the Giants' offseason workouts. Beatty's back quickly told him power cleans and such weren't a good idea. David Diehl faced the music Tuesday morning, apologizing for the events that led to his arrest Sunday night on DUI charges and pledging to make sure that his formerly-pristine 10-year track record with the Giants won't be permanently stained by this incident. June 12 The Giants begin veterans minicamp on Tuesday. For Manning, it's three consecutive days of practices to get rookies like running back David Wilson and wide receiver Rueben Randle valuable training before the team takes more than a month off before training camp opens in Albany at the end of July. Manning said that Wilson and Randle have been working hard to learn the offense. The
Giants made a pair of roster moves in advance of their minicamp, bringing
back a familiar defensive tackle and waiving their leading 2011 tight end. Defensive
tackle Rocky Bernard, who played in every game last season, was re-signed. Jake
Ballard, the tight end who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Super Bowl XLVI
in February, was waived/failed physical. Victor Cruz showcased his trademark salsa at Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade. The wide receiver celebrated his heritage with thousands of revelers, riding in a float on Fifth Ave. -- and even stopped to dance with a female NYPD officer as fans screamed, "Cruz!" David
Diehl figures to address reporters at some point over the next three days
during the team's minicamp, but the Giants' offensive tackle didn't wait that
long to offer an apology for his arrest on charges of driving under the influence
of alcohol. June 11 Offensive lineman David Diehl was arrested in Queens on suspicion of DWI, according to multiple reports. NFL.com's Matt Engelberg tweeted police told him Diehl "hit a couple of parked cars." WNBC's Shimon Procupecz says Diehl failed a breathalyzer test and will face a judge on Monday morning. This is the first alleged legal issue for Diehl in his tenure with the Giants. June 10 Secret Superstar: Linval Joseph, DT. When you play in New York there is no hiding from the media, no matter how far down you are on the depth chart. However, there are degrees of notoriety and it is in one of the cracks and crevices of mass media coverage that we find our Secret Superstar for the New York Giants. Former
Giants June
9 President
Obama congratulated the NY Giants on their XLVI Super Bowl win, "The
last time the Giants were here was in 2008. A lot of folks thought that team didn't
have a chance to win a Super Bowl. They ended up winning with a circus catch in
the fourth quarter, MVP performance by Eli Manning -- (applause) -- a come-from-behind
win over the Patriots. So this is all starting to sound kind of like deja vu all
over again." Eli
Manning had a one-on-one meeting with Vice President Biden, shook hands with
many Giants fans working inside the White House and even noticed that in all meeting
rooms the seat reserved for the president was higher than all others. "I'm
going to start doing that ... it's a good idea," Manning said of the elevating
the quarterback seat in team meetings. As Jason Pierre-Paul prepares for his third season, hoping to follow up on his breakout, 16 1/2-sack campaign that helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLVI, the natural tendency is to attribute his success to his freakish athletic ability. While he is his physical gifts are unquestionable -as evidenced by his legendary back flips -that ignores another important quality: Pierre-Paul is not afraid to ask questions, even questions others might be embarrassed to ask. June
8 They've
paraded down the Canyon of Heroes, celebrated
in their hometowns, partied at Tiffany's and been cheered everywhere they've gone.
On Friday afternoon, though, the Giants' victory tour makes its final and most
significant stop. The 16 members of the Giants rookie class are just over a month into their NFL careers and are laboring through the struggles of the transition to the sport's highest level. But a trip to Monroe Township to visit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey's Samuel & Josephine Plumeri Wishing Place put it all in perspective. Former
Giants NFC
East News NFL
News June 7 The Giants announced their 2012 Training Camp Schedule which will be held at University at Albany, to take place on the UAlbany campus from July 26 through August 15. The team is returning to the Capital Region after a one-year absence due to the NFL lockout. The
Giants have extended their head coach of eight seasons through the 2014 season.
Tom Coughlin, who has guided the Giants to two Super Bowl titles, will be paid
$20 million over the next three seasons as part of the new deal, according to
someone informed of the contract details. Tom
Coughlin is the franchise's second-longest tenured coach behind Hall of Fame
coach Steve Owen, who led the team for 24 seasons from 1930-53. Coughlin, 65,
has led the Giants on a six-year regular-season streak without a losing record,
the team's longest since putting 10 seasons in a row from 1954-63. NFL players finally got it right and voted Eli Manning onto the NFL Network list of the Top 100 players in the league. They just ranked him way too low. Thirty players in the NFL better than Manning? Really? So far there are four Giants on the list - Manning (31), Victor Cruz (39), Justin Tuck (62) and Hakeem Nicks (90). That's up from three last season when the only Giants who made it were Tuck (60), safety Antrel Rolle (68) and guard Chris Snee (77). June
6 When
Osi Umenyiora agreed to a new restructured contract, the numbers many of us
heard initially were $7 million to $7.5 million for this coming season. But the
number Umenyiora is going to get is apparently lower than that. In the end, Umenyiora
opted to end the contract squabble and rejoin his teammates and the hope for him
is that he will earn a big pay day next season. Antrel
Rolle said Osi Umenyiora has been "smiling like a kid in a candy shop"
since he restructured his contract and made peace with the Giants. And he's not
the only one. Giants' rookie Markus Kuhn isn't allowed to participate organized team activity practices until he receives a work visa. Kuhn, a native of Germany, isn't an American citizen. As a result, he needs a work visa. June
5 Osi
Umenyiora didn't exactly wave a white flag of surrender, but he realized there
was no point in continuing his fight. He was never going to get the big-money
contract he wanted from the Giants. So he gladly took whatever he could get. Martellus
Bennett wants the world to know one thing: he's not fat. Last week, tight
ends coach Mike Pope said the Giants' offseason free-agent signing recently pulled
his hamstring partly because, at 291 pounds, Bennett is too heavy. Another
OTA, another injury. This time, the unfortunate recipient was safety Tyler
Sash, who during a special teams drill, grabbed the back of his left leg early
in the practice, and hobbled of the field. Sash was seen in the locker room walking
with a very noticeable limp and a heavy wrap on his leg. Tom Coughlin's thoughts about going to the White House on Friday and does he expect guys like Manningham and Jacobs? "We are excited. It is always something that we look forward to. I don't know. They are certainly invited." Andre Brown said he found out he was suspended for the first four games of the upcoming 2012 season for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy when his girlfriend woke him up and told him the news after seeing it on television. Jake Muasau impressed the coaches at rookie tryouts and was signed shortly after. Now the Georgia State product is practicing at middle linebacker for the first time. One, two, three...team. June 3 Special Report - Let's get one thing straight: no one expects wide receiver Hakeem Nicks to miss the 2012 season. In fact, he may very well be back in action before training camp is over. However, for now, the Giants have to operate as though he won't be around. Bill Parcells vs. Tom Coughlin: When it comes to the best coach in NY Giants history, start the debate. Edge goes to Parcells, but Coughlin is gaining on Tuna. They each won the Super Bowl in their fourth and eighth seasons with the Giants. Parcells left after his eighth year. Coughlin, who will soon sign a multi-year extension, has time to add to his legacy. June
2 A
day after Osi Umenyiora parted ways with long time
representative Tony Agnone, the defensive end agreed to a restructured contract,
ending speculation that he could have played his last game as a Giant. Giants running back Andre Brown has won his appeal against the NFL for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed today. The lifting of Brown's suspension changes the dynamic of the running back competition in Giants camp this summer. Behind incumbent starter Ahmad Bradshaw, Brown, D.J. Ware, Da'Rel Scott and first-round draft choice David Wilson will be competing for snaps. Rosters are going to change, and offensive line coach Pat Flaherty will have to rely on both youth and experience to be productive in 2012. "It is different," Flaherty said this week. "Right now what we're trying to do is work each and every day to get the younger guys to understand what these older guys, the veterans, do." June
1 Several
assistant coaches met the media to discuss the Giants OTA practices - Wide
Receivers Coach Kevin M. Gilbride, Tight Ends Coach Mike Pope, Linebackers Coach
Jim Herrmann. Ramses Barden and some fellow Giants wideouts know it's time to step up with Hakeem Nicks on the mend. For Barden, it's a chance to show he can be consistent. For the unknowns, they can prove Tom Coughlin's vow to look "for the next Victor Cruz" on the roster is a worthwhile search. And for Domenik Hixon, it's about coming back from his second torn anterior cruciate ligament in as many years. Unable
to get a new contract or a trade to another team to this point, Osi Umenyiora
has parted ways with his agent of five years, Tony Agnone. "I have no agent
currently," he wrote, "and I'm not really looking for one." This is
actually the second time Umenyiora has fired Agnone this offseason, according
to someone informed of Umenyiora's dealings with Agnone. May
31 Tom
Coughlin talked about which young WRs might step up while WR Hakeem Nicks
recovers from injury. Wide
receiver Victor Cruz did a much better job carrying out his assignments late
last season than he did early in the year and, according to Kevin Gilbride, "hasn't
missed a beat" in that department this offseason. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride is worrying for his franchise quarterback, Eli Manning. "The offensive line is a concern," Gilbride said Wednesday. "Some of those guys that haven't been needed to be depended upon have got to show up for us to have a chance. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how good your quarterback and receivers are if your quarterback is flat on his back." Defensive
Coordinator Perry Fewelll singled out several players and their performance
thus far in OTA practices. "I'm very impressed with Will Hill. If he can
continue at this pace, and if he continues to learn and grow, he's another guy
when we get to the preseason games I hope that we're talking good things about
him because he is preparing to make this football team." Mathias
Kiwanuka is convinced Osi Umenyiora is trapped in a "bad deal" that
leaves him vastly underpaid. "His situation, it is what it is, he's been
under a contract and a bad deal for years now," Kiwanuka said Wednesday after
an OTA practice. May
30 Hakeem
Nicks this past Friday had a screw inserted into his right foot to help hasten
the healing process in his broken fifth metatarsal bone and on Sunday he was chatting
with Giants coach Tom Coughlin, promising a quicker-than-anticipated return. The Giants will learn much about where Osi Umenyiora stands in two weeks, when the Giants hold a mandatory veteran minicamp from June 12-14. And Justin Tuck, for one, continues to hold out hope that somehow, the Giants and their pass-rushing star can come to an accord." The Giants tried to bring back former receiving star Plaxico Burress once. But they have no plans to do it again. With one vigorous shake of his head, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin made that clear on Tuesday morning, just before the Giants Foundation Golf Outing at the Westchester Country Club. May 29 Chase Blackburn is signed for the 2012 season and is the early front-runner for a starting position. Since the Super Bowl, he has been sharing his turnaround story with those who need to hear from someone who stayed optimistic in the face of adversity. On June 2, Blackburn will take cancer fighters and survivors and their friends, family and supporters on a fishing cruise off the coast of New Jersey. The last time the the Giants won the Super Bowl, they followed it up with a 12-4 season and claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. It seems a fair bet that, this time, their top wide receiver won't shoot himself in the leg with an unlicensed firearm in a nightclub and severely damage their playoff chances. May 26 NFL rankings: Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick are among the few current NFL coaches to keep their job long enough to build something special. Mike McCarthy could be on his way to joining them. Eighteen of the current 32 coaches have been in their present job fewer than three seasons. Fixing the Giant Hole at Tight End. They had the opportunity to draft Coby Fleener in the 2012 NFL Draft but decided to pass in favor of running back David Wilson. As a result, the Giants will have, more or less, an open competition at the tight end position as camp begins. Not all players who attended rookie minicamp two weeks ago were, for lack of a better term, rookies. Aside from veteran tryouts, practice squad members from the previous season were also invited, such as cornerback Brandon Bing and quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. Former
Giants May 25 Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot during the team's second OTA workout. Brian Witherspoon, a promising cornerback who a day earlier tore his anterior cruciate ligament for the second year in a row, was waived/injured. To fill his spot on the roster, the Giants signed defensive back Dante Hughes, a six-year veteran who tried out for the team at the rookie minicamp two weeks ago. On the first day of organized team activities, the Giants lost a reserve cornerback. On the second day, they watched an even more important player get injured. Wideout Hakeem Nicks, who teamed with Victor Cruz to form give the Giants the league's lone pair of 1,000-yard wide receivers last season, fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during Thursday morning's workout. His recovery time is 12 weeks. Tom Coughlin has been through enough of these to know "expected" and "actual" don't always align, so the Giants' coach realizes it's unclear at this point as to whether the team will have Nicks in uniform for the Sept. 5 game vs. the Dallas Cowboys. "If it takes the full three months, you're going to be sitting right up next to that opening game," Coughlin said. "We certainly hope that Hakeem is correct in saying that he heals fast." Eli Manning now has two Super Bowl rings and a pair of MVP awards from the big game as well.Eli Manning now has two Super Bowl rings and a pair of MVP awards from the big game as well. "Obviously the season ended up well, but if you look at our regular season, we still lost seven games," Manning said. "There's a lot of room for improvement. It wasn't an easy regular season where we were going out there and playing great every game." In taking Manning's lead, the Giants promise they will be focused on getting better." Former
Giants May
24 It
took all of a few minutes for a significant injury to the Giants' secondary
to dampen their first organized team activity of the offseason. Cornerback Brian
Witherspoon, coming off an ACL tear last August, was carted off the field after
writhing in pain as trainers worked on him and his teammates knelt in prayer nearby. The Giants were able to win a Super Bowl last season despite losing one of their key players before the even regular season even began: starting cornerback Terrell Thomas. But the Giants re-signed the 27-year-old Thomas in March, and he was present for the team's first organized workout of the offseason on Wednesday, taking part in individual drills. The Super Bowl champion Giants will visit the White House June 8. Jason Pierre-Paul on the challenge of getting better in 2012: "We had a great ending, but we didn't have a perfect season. Nobody was perfect. There's a lot we can do better." Four players were not present: Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, Jake Ballard and Adrien Robinson. Several rookies who could play key roles this season got their first taste of action with the veterans on Wednesday, including running back David Wilson and wide receiver Rueben Randle, the team's first- and second-round draft picks. "The development of these young guys is real important," said Coughlin. "Just to learn the new language is really critical." Justin Tuck is entering his eighth season, Eli Manning his ninth. For them and the other players that have been here for several seasons, these sessions serve as a refresher course. But for newcomers like linebacker Keith Rivers, who arrived in a trade with Cincinnati, it's a vital opportunity to learn. By many accounts, Giants fullback Henry Hynoski had an impressive NFL debut which included becoming the only rookie on offense last season to win and hold a starting job throughout the season. But for as good as he was last year, Hynoski, now entering his sophomore year as a Giant, knows he can get better. Victor Cruz said he still feels like he has something to prove, considering he came out of nowhere and emerged as a star last season, after being undrafted out of UMass in 2010. "I think every time I step on the field I want to show that I'm the same player I was last year," Cruz said. "The same type of hunger, the same type of intensity that you saw last year." Terrell Thomas promises he will be a starter once again after suffering torn ACL Cornerback says he will be a 'full go' come training camp. GM Jerry Reese has stockpiled corners over the past two seasons, drafting Prince Amukamara and signing vet Antwaun Molden. But Thomas believes the four-year, $28 million deal he inked in March cements his position in the CB pecking order. Justin Tryon snapped his right arm early against Miami last season and played through the pain. He would later worsen the fracture with a clutch shoestring tackle of Reggie Bush on a late punt return, but that's not what he remembers most. Drafted in the second round (33rd overall) by the 49ers in 2005, David Baas began at right guard as a rookie, but then played some center in 2006 before reverting to right guard in 2007. He manned the left guard position for the second half of 2008 and stayed there for 2009. But as the carousel went, an injury on the team moved him to center in his final season with the 49ers. May 23 The Giants are soon expected to add three or four years to Tom Coughlin's contract that runs out after next season. The New York media has often put him on the unemployment line, only to watch his teams hoist a Lombardi trophy when it was least expected. Matt McCants was enjoying the challenge of facing undrafted free agents and tryout players looking to make an impression during the Giants' recent rookie minicamp, all the while realizing it was merely a warmup. The big challenge would come when the veterans - i.e. arguably the best group of defensive ends - begin lining up across from the rookie offensive tackle. A year ago, a spirited player who was disappointed not to be selected in the NFL Draft was signed by the Giants to compete for a spot on the roster at fullback. That player, Henry Hynoski, became a role player as a rookie and helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLVI. Hynoski will be looking to solidify his spot and Joe Martinek will be looking to carve a niche for himself on the roster in a competition that won't really get cooking until training camp this summer at the University at Albany. NFC East News May 22 Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout and current analyst for NFL.com, set out to compile a list of the seven most dominant players in the NFL, leaving out the signal callers. One of them was Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. May
21 Osi
Umenyiora wasn't able to make it happen, but someone ponied up a fair amount
of cash to win the bidding for Lawrence Taylor's Super Bowl XXV ring. Bidding
has closed on the ring, which Taylor's son put up for sale after Taylor gave him
the ring, and it has sold for $230,401. German-born Markus Kuhn was the Giants' seventh-round selection in last month's NFL Draft after a senior season in which he tallied five sacks at defensive tackle. The 6-4, 302-pounder became just the second German-trained player - after Patriots offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer in 2009 - to become an NFL Draft pick. Kuhn is 26, ancient by NFL rookie standards, but he's raw and known as a "gym rat," as general manager Jerry Reese noted. May 20 Whether or not you classify dynasties by division titles (the Giants have three in the past 10 years) or Super Bowl rings (two in the last five) is beside the point. To build a dynasty in any sport one thing is paramount: continuity. The Giants have that in spades. Osi
Umenyiora offered to buy and return Lawrence Taylor's Super Bowl XXV ring
to the Pro Football Hall of Famer, but only if Umenyiora attained 500,000 Twitter
followers by 10 p.m. Saturday. Umenyiora, relatively new to the social media site,
had roughly 54,600 followers as of 10 p.m. Saturday, falling quite short of the
threshold needed to fulfill his promise to purchase the ring being auctioned off
by Taylor's son, Lawrence Taylor, Jr., and SCP Auctions.
NFC
East News May 19 At some point this offseason Tom Coughlin is going to get a lucrative contract extension from the Giants. The only questions are: How much? How long? And, When? It's also entirely possible the negotiations are finished. Remember, when the Giants announced their one-year contract extension with Coughlin last July, the deal had already been done for months. Giants great Lawrence Taylor was unaware his Super Bowl XXV ring was being put up for auction, FOXSports.com has learned. "Lawrence was in fact unaware of it but said he gave it to TJ, and it's his right to do what he wants with it. He's fine with whatever TJ decided," said Mark Lepselter, LT's rep. May 18 Special Report - The continuing downhill slide of Lawrence Taylor reached another low point Thursday with the announcement that he has put his Super Bowl XXV ring up for auction. Clearly in need of money, the troubled Pro Bowl linebacker who played for the Giants from 1981 through 1993 is expecting upwards of $100,000 for the ring. To the Giants, receiving their championship rings Wednesday night was not only a reward for winning Super Bowl XLVI, but a snapshot of their determination to celebrate more titles. "Our thing now is we want to be a dynasty," defensive end Justin Tuck said after receiving his 14-karat ring. "We want to make it a dynasty." NFL Network released another batch in the "Top 100: Players of 2012," and the Weeble Wobble came in at No. 62. Justin Tuck, the Giants defensive captain, ranked a spot ahead of Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley (63) and one behind Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (61). Kareem McKenzie remains a free agent and would like to continue his career, but said he would be happy with retirement. The 11-year offensive lineman believes he has some football left. He knows the Giants are moving on so he's waiting for a team to give him the call, working out in the meantime. Former
Giants May
17 Those
who were part of the magnificent Super Bowl run four years ago and were again
part of another improbable run this past season had a goal in mind when designing
their new championship rings. "We wanted it to be little different than the
last ring," Eli Manning said. When Justin Tuck saw a picture of the Giants' championship ring on Twitter six weeks ago, he wasn't happy. And he wasn't happy when he saw it again on Tuesday night. The design, he said, shouldn't have been seen by anyone outside the Giants organization until all the players on the team had seen it for themselves. Gallery:
Giants Super Bowl ring ceremony at Tiffanys 5-16-12. Giants
Super Bowl Ring - Latest
Info - or
not? - or
SO!
May 16 Justin Tuck says he has done everything he can to clear his schedule so he can attend Game 2 between the Rangers and Devils on Wednesday night. But the Giants defensive end is going to be a little busy. The Giants will receive their Super Bowl rings at Tiffany & Co. but Tuck will have the Rangers on his mind as well as he has become a big Rangers fan. Former Giants May 15 Terrell Thomas may have lost a full season of his NFL career, but he hasn't lost any of his confidence. He also is sure he hasn't lost his starting job. The ring isn't the only thing Thomas said he will have a "bittersweet" feeling on Wednesday night when the Giants are presented their Super Bowl championship rings in a private ceremony inside Tiffany's in Manhattan. Not surprisingly he'll be glad to get the ring. He just wishes he had been on the field to earn it. The
Giants signed three rookie free agents who attended the team's minicamp last
week on a tryout basis: wide receiver Brandon Collins of Southeast Louisiana,
linebacker Jake Muasau of Georgia State and safety Will Hill of Florida. The team
also announced that safety Chad Jones has been waived/failed physical. Jones,
the Giants' third-round draft choice in 2010, was seriously injured in an auto
accident two months after being drafted and has yet to play an NFL game. For years, Tom Coughlin has honored the servicemen and women who, as he likes to put it, allow us to "sleep under the blanket of freedom." This month, one branch of the military will return the favor by honoring the Giants' coach. On May 23, Coughlin will be one of five recipients of the Outstanding Civilian Service Award, the third-highest public service honor the U.S. Army can bestow upon a civilian. May 14 A week before the NFL Draft, Eli Manning was asked by The Post what he hoped for from the team's newly imported young talent, and he didn't hesitate. "Get a skill position guy who can help us get carries, get catches, in some ways get that same production from the guys we lost last year," he said. The Giants try to make Manning happy, and there's no doubt they heeded the wishes of their quarterback in their draft selections. The Giants had 37 different players attending all or part of their three-day rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis. Receiver Brandon Collins and linebacker Jake Muasau were the only two who will be coming back. Both players signed contracts with the Giants on Sunday as soon as camp was over. The additions of Collins, a 5-11, 180-pound receiver out of Southeastern Louisiana and Muasau, a 6-1, 243-pound linebacker out of Georgia State, give the Giants a full, 90-man roster heading into their full-team mandatory minicamp next month. Ryan Perrilloux admits it got confusing at times when the Giants kept cutting him and bringing him back onto the practice squad last season. The third-string quarterback was waived and then either signed to the practice squad or had his practice squad contract terminated a grand total of 22 times last season, including the initial move of waiving him from the final roster at the start of the season. Empty promises on draft day only fueled Joe Martinek's desire to make sure his NFL dream was not deferred for good. Not that the former Rutgers standout running back would have preferred being selected in the seventh round, which is where numerous teams insisted they were going to take him before conveniently going in another direction, chalking those decisions as part of the game's business side. May 13 The Giants finished their second day of practices at rookie camp. If this was the last chance for some to make an impression on the Giants, some players made favorable ones. The Giants saw glimpses of some big-play ability out of first-round running back David Wilson and second-round wide receiver Rueben Randle. After having a solid first day, the morning practice was a bit spotty for running back David Wilson, who fell in into what appears to be an old habit of cutting back instead of waiting for holes to open up in front of him. He also didn't have much success on a couple of runs into traffic, though he continued to show a nice burst of speed. Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewel was asked about the linebacker corps, having a lot of guys which seem to be outside guys and maybe no clear cut answer in the middle. "Yeah, that is going to be an area of emphasis for us this year. We are in the classroom, obviously, right now trying to get a feel for what our new addition - Keith Rivers - what he knows about our defense and how much he can understand and learn about our defense" Giants
defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said the starting middle linebacker position
is Chase Blackburn's, but there will be plenty of competition for it. Fewell emphasized
that Boley has the ability to play the role, but it's up for grabs. Tight
end Adrien Robinson, the Giants' fourth-round pick, caught just 12 passes
during his senior season at Cincinnati, but the Giants believe he has the athleticism
and physicality to perform in the NFL. An underutilized weapon in a Cincy offense
that featured running back Isaiah Pead, he's a bit of a project with the chance
to contribute immediately at a position of need for the Giants. It's
clear as soon as Markus Kuhn opens his mouth (think Arnold Schwarzenegger)
he is no ordinary newcomer at the Giants' rookie camp this weekend. Just the second
native of Germany ever to be drafted by the NFL, the hulking defensive tackle
is trying to be just the second German native to stick in the NFL after the Giants
made him a seventh-round pick last month. Look Janzen Jackson in the face and ask him, point blank, if he is a bad guy. He doesn't flinch, doesn't wince and doesn't show much of anything, really. "I believe I'm a young guy who did some dumb things," Jackson said yesterday in between practices at Giants rookie minicamp. Brought in as an undrafted rookie free agent, Julian Talley, like Victor Cruz, is a New Jersey native who went on to play wide receiver at UMass. Now he's also dawning the white No. 3 practice jersey around the Timex Performance center. A few years behind, Cruz's accomplishments serve as blueprints for not only Talley and players from smaller schools, but undrafted rookies as a whole. May
12 The
2012 Rookie Minicamp Roster - The list includes the 2012 Draft Selections,
Free Agents, Rookie Tryouts, and Veteran Tryouts. The Giants opened their rookie minicamp with the announcement that they have signed all seven of their selections in last month's NFL Draft, as well as eight rookie free agents, four each on offense and defense. Day One Highlights: RB David Wilson showed some burst attacking some holes and looked shifty as well. However, there was one run where the rookie got caught running sideways on the left with nowhere to go as he tried to make something out of nothing. Gilbride said Wilson probably was just trying to impress the coaching staff. At 5-feet-10, 205 pounds, David Wilson is no Brandon Jacobs. But he is fast and explosive. He runs through tackles. He's tough to bring down. And he can catch the football. In short, he might be just what the Giants need to resuscitate the league's 32nd-ranked running game that didn't wake up until it was nearly too late last season. . The
all-time leading rusher in New Jersey high school history and Rutgers alum
Joe Martinek begins rookie minicamp as one of eight undrafted free agents. If
it wasn't for the Giants' call, Martinek might have been making the much longer
commute to Tampa, where his former college mentor Greg Schiano is in his first
season as the Buccaneers head coach. Kevin
Gilbride was impressed by RB David Wilson and WR Rueban Randle but it is too
early to predict what type of impact they might have in 2012. Wilson, the running
back from Virginia Tech selected in the first round of last month's NFL Draft,
showed off his speed, explosiveness and elusiveness today as the Giants opened
their rookie minicamp. Limas
Sweed, two years removed from last NFL game, is trying to catch on with the
Giants. Limas Sweed never imagined that he'd be here one day, on a football field
with a group of kids, most of whom won't ever get any closer to an NFL game. He
was once supposed to be the big-play receiver that was going to transform the
Pittsburgh Steelers offense. Adrien Robinson was four yards short of where he was supposed to be, and instead of taking his route to the outside he turned in. Then the raw athleticism of the Jerry Reese-nicknamed "JPP of tight ends" took over. Robinson thrust his arms into the air and pulled down what seemingly came at him with the speed of a 90-mph spiral, and did so with ease, as if the fourth-round draft pick from Cincinnati was plucking a dollar bill falling from the sky.
Head
Coach Tom Coughlin's first day comments included, "The defense is lined
up half the time the wrong way and that type of thing. But when you figure you
have your draft choices, your undrafted college free agents that have been signed
and then the tryout people, they did all right." At 26, Giants seventh round draft pick Markus Kuhn is the oldest of the Giants' seven draft picks. He's also the least experienced, at least when it comes to the game of football. Kuhn, a 6-4, 299 lb. prospect who speaks with a hint of a German accent, said he's never actually seen an NFL game in person. "Hopefully the first NFL game I see live is the first one I'll play in as well,' he said. David Wilson, the running back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, and Hosley, the cornerback taken in the third round, were three-year teammates who roomed together during their freshman season at Virginia Tech. Now they're helping each other take their first professional steps in this three-day camp. Like
all positions, there has been turnover on the Giants offensive line in recent
seasons. And once again, it will become a topic of much debate as the team hits
its checkpoints in the coming months and into the season. Offensive tackles Matt
McCants and Brandon Mosley began their NFL journeys, and the two draft picks have
shown they are anxious to learn. May 11 The defending Super Bowl champions get back to work this weekend, as the New York Giants hold their rookie minicamp in East Rutherford, N.J. Repeating is hard work, though, and there are good reasons why only one team this century has been able to do it. With rookie camp set to begin this weekend here's Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of sixth-round pick Matt McCants. McCants is a project that Jerry Reese hopes could compete for a starting spot next season. Tomorrow we look at the Giants' seventh-round pick Markus Kuhn. May 10 Eli Manning has never been diagnosed with a concussion, but amid the swirl of discussion and controversy regarding head trauma around the NFL, the Giants quarterback admits "It's a scary deal." On the night of Aug. 16, 2010, the sight of Manning bleeding profusely from a 3-inch gash on his forehead and looking dazed as he jogged off the field during a preseason game against the Jets was a troubling image for the Giants and their fans. Chad Jones' goal of being on the field with his teammates in an organized practice this spring will not be met this weekend. The former third-round pick, who suffered severe leg injuries in a car accident two years ago, has not been cleared to participate in Giants rookie camp, a team spokesman said. With rookie camp set to begin this weekend here's Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of fourth-round pick Brandon Mosley. The Giants believe Mosley is old school, tough-minded and versatile like David Diehl. Diehl could start at right tackle this season with Kevin Boothe at left guard and Will Beatty at left tackle. Tomorrow we look at the Giants' sixth-round pick Matt McCants. Giants
coach Tom Coughlin, who served as the team's wide receivers coach for a portion
of Stacy Robinson's time with the team, recalled the late Robinson as a "class
act." Phil Simms shared many memories of Robinson, including a 49-yard catch against
the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in 1986 that set up the winning
touchdown. May 9 Osi Umenyiora hopes he was just exaggerating when he said there's a "strong chance" he'll end up in a wheelchair someday thanks to a lifetime of playing football. He just doesn't want to take the chance that it'll really happen to his son. Eli Manning returned to the job he does best as the Giants held their first on-field workout with coaches present on Tuesday. The SNL audience included Manning's wife, Abby, parents Archie and Olivia, and offensive linemen Chris Snee, David Diehl and David Baas, as well as former center Shaun O'Hara, a close Manning friend. The Giants drafted Rueben Randle in the second round and he's expected to come in and produce right away, just like Nicks did back in 2009. There's an opening on the outside opposite of Nicks, and Randle is going to have a chance to earn that role. Nicks had 790 yards in his rookie year. . It
used to be most rookie contracts weren't completed until June or July. But
under the new collective bargaining agreement signed last year, these deals are
a lot less complex and thus easier to negotiate. Case in point: the Giants have
already agreed to terms on a deal with tight end Adrien Robinson. Former
Giants May 8 With the departure of Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs this offseason, the Giants have openings at backup running back and No. 3 receiver. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride is hopeful the team's top two draft picks, running back David Wilson and wide receiver Rueben Randle, can help fill those voids. Eli Manning was back in his element Monday in the Giants locker room a couple of days after his guest host spot on "Saturday Night Live." He said teammates teased him about wearing a dress on the show - they told him he looked good - and threw a few bananas at him, a takeoff on a somewhat risque portion of a skit he did. With rookie camp set to begin this weekend here's Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of third-round pick Jayron Hosley. Tomorrow we look at fourth-round pick Adrien Robinson. May
7 Special
Report - There are reasons why NFL teams are so much more vitally interested
in finding pass rushing defensive ends these days, and most of those reasons come
from the offenses. There is more passing these days, far more, say, then even
10 years ago, and that means the quarterback is going to be back there reasonably
exposed to the big, fast rushers. An off-shoot of this is the gradual evolution
of bigger, faster ends, and the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul comes quickly to mind. May 6 Would
Eli Manning let loose for a little fun on "Saturday Night Live",
or would the Giants quarterback rigidly stare into middle distance at his lines?
Manning did a little of both. The most successful spot was probably a pre-filmed
short for something called "Little Brothers." May
5 Eli
Manning is not an obvious choice to host "Saturday Night Live." The two-time
Super Bowl champion's public persona is not particularly funny. "That's the
good thing about 'Saturday Night Live.' You can come in and maybe express a different
side that people don't see," Manning said. Head
coach power rankings 1-26. Like
a bunch of Giants offensive linemen right now, David Diehl doesn't know where
he's going to be playing come Week 1 - guard or tackle, left or right. All Diehl
knows is he will be playing, period. With rookie camp set to begin next weekend, we're taking a look at Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of each New York Giants' draft pick leading up to next Friday's camp. Rookie camp is next Friday-Sunday. Here's Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of second-round pick Rueben Randle. Former Giants May 4 With rookie camp set to begin next weekend, now's a good time to take a look at Scouts Inc.'s breakdown of each New York Giants' draft pick leading up to next Friday's camp. First up, first-round pick David Wilson. Giants OTA dates are: May 23-24, May 30-June 1, June 4-5, June 7-8; rookie minicamp May 11-13, regular minicamp June 12-14. The Giants likely received calls on Umenyiora during the draft, but again, no one made an offer Reese couldn't refuse. Umenyiora is especially costly because he would require a big long-term deal to make the trade sensible. The biggest obstacle of all here: The Giants aren't motivated sellers. They have Umenyiora under contract at a low price. He's valuable to them, and they can live through a little offseason drama. After all, they have done it plenty of times before. Former
Giants May
3 The
Giants and their fans have studied every move Eli Manning has made the past
eight years, but no one will ever have seen him the way he'll present himself
this weekend, when he is the host of "Saturday Night Live." NFL News May
2 Giants
GM Jerry Reese dismisses Osi Umenyiora's 'greedy pig' remarks, wants DE to
retire with Big Blue. Reese dismisses Osi Umenyiora's harsh comments as 'offseason
chatter,' adding that he won't hold a grudge against the disgruntled defensive
end. When the Giants selected two offensive tackles over the weekend, it reinforced a cornerstone of the franchise - competition. It just so happens that the battle for playing time is also reinforcing the cornerstone of any team - the offensive line. May 1
Ahmad
Bradshaw, who plans to be more of a leader this season to replace the departed
Brandon Jacobs, said first-round pick David Wilson will be his "project." Seven
years ago, Tiki Barber took Brandon Jacobs under his wing in the Giants' backfield.
Soon thereafter, Jacobs became the elder statesman guiding Ahmad Bradshaw. And
now, with Jacobs gone to the San Franscisco 49ers, Bradshaw will become the instructor
for David Wilson, the Giants' first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft. Every
year during the draft, ESPN The Magazine throws a Pre-Draft party. This year,
the party moved to the The Waterfront. The party is held the night before the
draft and several of the first-round prospects come to celebrate just before being
drafted the next day along with several NFL stars.. Numerous Giants came out to
the party -- 23 in fact -- and were big celebs since they are Super Bowl champs. Former
Giants 2011
Draft Revisited The 32nd
Pick In the 2012 Draft - Giants selected running back David Wilson.
Apr 30 One
day after the Giants' GM insisted the team has offered Umenyiora a contract
extension in each of the last two seasons, the unhappy defensive end fired back,
saying Reese was distorting the truth to make him look like "a greedy pig." Apr 29 In seven rounds of drafting over three days, the Giants chose seven players - five of them for the offense, including three of the final four selections. General manager Jerry Reese said that was not the goal entering the draft. Year after year, Giants General Manager Jerry Reese has said that the team's blueprint for the N.F.L. draft revolves around taking the best players available. Those players often merge with the team's apparent needs. That was the script again this year. The Super Bowl-champion New York Giants got more than value and need in the NFL Draft. They got characters, too. First-round draft pick David Wilson does backflips and chases rabbits. Receiver Rueben Randle is coming to camp with a chip on his shoulder after a draft slip. Cornerback Jayron Hosley, the third round pick, failed his combine drug test and vows not to let it happen again. The NFL draft came and went and Osi Umenyiora is still with the Giants. At least for now. Though the Giants did not trade their unhappy defensive end during the three-day draft, Giants GM Jerry Reese would not say whether or not they tried. He also indicated a trade could still happen because, he said "All options are open with respect to that." Following in the footsteps of his more gregarious brother, Eli Manning will be rehearsing at Studio 8H in Manhattan all this week preparing for his turn as host of NBC's long-running comedy sketch show on Saturday night. NFC
East News |
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