Would DE Jason Pierre-Paul Make a Good DT for the Giants?

January 16, 2011

NEW YORK – I was having a conversation with one of my writer friends about the draft and he mentioned the defensive tackle position being a problem in 2011. The Giants will more then likely have to let one go and most think it will be DT Barry Cofield. Personally, I hope the team doesn’t let Cofield go because he is a rock in the middle and one of my favorite players. Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility that he will not return. If it were up to me, I would lock the man down with a four year contract. This situation at the defensive tackle position will no doubt effect the Giants 2011 NFL Draft but to what extent?

There are a number of possibilities that could occur before the draft in April, such as a free agent signing or a trade. One of the more interesting scenarios I have come up with is the possibility of converting DE Jason Pierre-Paul to a defensive tackle. Now before you all rip my head off just hear me out and remember this is only an idea. JPP was drafted in April of 2010 and was listed at 270 pounds. By the time the 2010 regular season started in September, Pierre-Paul bulked up to 285 pounds and was still flying around the field like he was a welterweight. My question is simple, what would JPP do if he put on another 15 pounds (to round it out at 300 pounds) and got those extremely long arms a yard or two closer to the opposing quarterbacks at the defensive tackle slot? It is a very intriguing thought.

It is extremely unlikely that this will happen but DC Perry Fewell has been using the “nascar” defense quite a bit this year. The name of the game is to get the talent on the field. Imagine Tuck, Osi and JPP on the field for every single down the defense played in 2011, that’s scary. Ultimately, Pierre-Paul’s talent at defensive end will prevail when Osi or Tuck decide to retire or move on to another team. But wouldn’t it be amazing if JPP were to change the defensive tackle position forever with his unique combination of size and speed? Where ever the team decides to play JPP, one thing is for sure, the guy is going to be a pro bowl player within a year or two. He is just too talented and committed for things to turn out otherwise.

I would like to hear your thoughts on whether or not JPP would be a nice fit at the DT spot in 2011 or if you feel he is too valuable as depth for the DE spot. Please keep in mind that the Giants will be getting a guy named Mathias Kiwanuka back from injury in 2011 as well.

RD – nygreporter.com

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6 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Regular Season, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Transactions, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants DC Perry Fewell Will Return in 2011

January 14, 2011

NEW YORK – Giants fans can finally exhale with the news that Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell will return to Big Blue in 2011. Fewell was being interviewed by a few teams searching for a new head coach, Denver and Carolina were the front runners but it just wasn’t meant to be.

Denver and Carolina decided to go in a different direction, which means that Fewell will be coaching for the G-Men and honoring the last year of his two year contract. He was extremely vocal about wanting a head coaching position but I still expect him to give his best to the Giants this season. I’m sure he will and I am very excited to have him back for another year. I’m pumped to see how far he can take the defense in 2011. The Raiders are the last team looking for a head coach but all of the experts say it is highly unlikely that Fewell will end up in Oakland.

If Fewell would have been chosen for one of those coaching positions, that would have meant the New York Giants went through four defensive coordinators in four years. They include Coach Spags, Coach Sheridan, Coach Fewell and whomever the fourth DC would have been. That kind of inconsistency is something that does not help a team mesh together or make the players buy into a defensive system. I’m glad Fewell will be around for the 2011 NFL Draft, training camp and all of the preseason games. I think the man has great input and although GM Jerry Reese is Yoda when it comes to the NFL draft, I know he respects Fewell’s opinion.

Coach Fewell has also become a fan favorite and everything I’ve read about the players, tells me they love the guy too. I would have been very upset if the team lost yet another solid coach after short stint. I understand that the Giants organization has to be cautious about locking up staff in long term deals but this might be a good time to offer him an extension before next season. We need some stability at the DC job and Fewell is a great fit with the team, so why wait? Now fans will have to wait and see what the team decides to do with OC Kevin Gilbride. What do you think about the Giants coaching situation?

RD – nygreporter.com

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2 Comments | 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

2011 NFL Draft: New York Giants Early Bird Edition

January 5, 2011

NEW YORK – It’s never too soon to search for improvements. I would like to take an early look at the New York Giants 2011 draft needs. These draft needs will absolutely change by the time the draft arrives on Thursday April 28, 2011. Keep in mind that the NFL now holds the 1st round of the draft on Thursday night, rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night and rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday. The times have not been released yet but that’s the schedule. The New York Giants will have the 19th overall pick in the 1st round.

So let’s take a look at some of the needs for Big Blue. The first two positions that pop into my mind are Linebacker and Center. I would not be surprised one bit to see either of these positions taken in the first round. I would also not be surprised to see the Giants take two offensive linemen by the time the draft is over. I made the same prediction last year but the Giants surprised me by taking a defensive end with the No.1 overall pick. A pick that proved to be awesome because DE Jason Pierre-Paul had an impressive rookie season and he will continue to develop into a beast. If there is one thing that I am certain of, it is the fact that Giants will not take another defensive end with their first pick in 2011.

The Giants will more then likely dip into the free agent market once again in 2011, so I’m not sure where these needs will be on the chart come April. I can only make my guesses based upon what I see today. The Giants need to get more help on the offensive line to protect franchise QB Eli Manning and they need to get a serious playmaker at the linebacker position. I’m not knocking LB Jonathan Goff who did an excellent job in 2010 replacing the retired LB Antonio Pierce. The team still needs more fire from that area and I would be shocked if the G-Men did not pick up a return specialist in the late rounds. Let’s take a look at the early bird special.

2011 NFL Draft – New York Giants Edition, player rankings are current as of 1/03/11.

1. Linebacker/Center – Stefen Wisniewski of Penn State is the No.1 ranked Center in the draft by CBS Sports. The No.2 Center on that list is Kristofer O’Dowd of USC.

2. Center/Linebacker – Greg Jones of Michigan State is the No.1 ranked MLB in the draft by CBS Sports. The No.2 MLB on that list is Quan Sturdivant of North Carolina.

3. Cornerback

4. Running Back

5. Offensive Tackle

6. Linebacker

7. Return Specialist – CB/WR

Please feel free to give your opinions and your own draft needs assessment in the comment area. I know it’s a bit early to do this but I love the draft and couldn’t wait. As I mentioned, I’m sure this draft order will change a couple of times before April rolls around.

RD – nygreporter.com

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21 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

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