August 25, 2011
NEW YORK – The Giants have come a long way since Monday night. The only problem is they have headed in the wrong direction. I’m one of the most positive Giants fans you will ever come across and even I’m concerned now. Giving a pep talk doesn’t really mean anything when we are discussing the talent on the roster. That speaks for itself and it always confuses me when people talk about staying positive when the team loses star players due to injury. Positivity has nothing to do with on field production. I’m a positive guy but the reality is that the team needs to get some talent on the field and quickly because we are about two weeks away from the start of the regular season.
The Giants have lost CB Terrell Thomas, CB Bruce Johnson, CB Brian Witherspoon and DT Marvin Austin for the entire 2011 season. Johnson and Witherspoon were cut because of their injuries. Rookie CB Prince Amukamara will also be out for 6-8 more weeks due to a fractured foot. Over the past week, the team has also cut CB Woodny Turenne, S Cary Harris, WR Sam Giguere and LB Kenny Ingram. Has anyone else noticed the large amount of defensive players that have either been cut or landed on the season ending IR list? Of course you have. That is why I am concerned and a pep talk just won’t cut it for me at this time. The one player currently on the roster that I would like to see get some playing time is CB Brian Jackson. I have been the only writer I’ve seen so far talking about Jackson (6’0″ 212 pounds) and calling for him to get a shot. He is a quality player and wonderful human being and someone you want on your team. I hope he gets a chance to win over the coaches and fans this year.
The Giants have addressed the massive loss of talent by signing three players over the past week. The new signings include CB Brian Williams, S Derrick Martin and DT Jimmy Kennedy. The Giants also re-signed S Deon Grant, which could end up being one of the most important signings this offseason. The backfield still has a lot of talented guys back there but depth is the real issue. I doubt if GM Jerry Reese is done bringing in players. He is using a pragmatic approach to dealing with these injuries and quite frankly, I don’t think there is a better way to handle it. I also agree that a few of the younger players will need to step up this year and contribute to the team. They may be thrown into the fire but how they react to that will decide their future with New York. It doesn’t seem fair to these players but hey, life isn’t always fair.
On a sad note, the Giants have officially sold the naming rights to Giants stadium. Fans will now have to tolerate it being called the MetLife stadium for the next 20 years. Of course, the true blue fans (like me) will forever call it Giants stadium.
How would you solve the recent issues facing the New York Giants?
RD – nygreporter
Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!
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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 Injuries, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Hamps 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, NFL New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Brian Jackson, Brian Williams, Brian Witherspoon, Bruce Johnson, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jerry Reese, Jimmy Kennedy, John Mara, Kenny Ingram, Kevin Gilbride, Marvin Austin, MetLife Stadium, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, Nilay Shah, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, Prospects, Steve Tisch, Terrell Thomas, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, website ny giants, website nyg | 
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Posted by robdomaine
August 23, 2011
NEW YORK – The New York Giants faced the Chicago Bears on Monday night in the Meadowlands and played one heck of a game. The Giants won 41-13 but did not come out of the game without some bad news, some really bad news. By now, most fans have already read my previous article and know that Big Blue lost star CB Terrell Thomas for the year with a torn ACL on a freak play where DE Jason Pierre-Paul’s leg swung around and hit Thomas in the leg. There could not be any worse news then learning that you lost your No.1 CB for the year. I was surprised because Thomas walked off the field under his own strength and seemed ok. I truly wish him a speedy recovery and I’m sure that the rest of Giants Nation does as well.
The game started out slow in the first quarter but picked up steam from that point on. Going into the second quarter the game was tied up 3-3 and it seemed like fans would be in for a sleeper. But that changed rather quickly once the team started rolling. RB Brandon Jacobs was the spark the team needed to get going and after he scored his touchdown, the Giants never looked back for the rest of the game. The score was 20-6 by halftime and the Giants defense would allow only seven more points for the rest of the game. I’m not sure if this game represented the fact that the G-men have shaken off the rust or that the Bears are just an awful team but hey, a win is a win. This is only a preseason game, so I try not to get too excited but seeing some of those rookies perform so well has me pumped up. Rookie RB Da’Rel Scott gets my game ball. That kid can run like the wind and had the best play of the night when he ran the ball 97 yards for a TD late in the 4th quarter. I hope we get to see more of him real soon.
Fans can expect GM Jerry Reese to bring in a veteran CB sometime this week. I would not be surprised at all if he does so as early as today. With limited time left before the regular season starts, the team will need to bring the new guy up to speed in a very short period of time. The Giants have become very thin at CB and will need to remedy that as quickly as possible.
Let’s take a look at some of my notes from the game.
QB Eli Manning – Manning still looked very shaky out there and finished 8/16 for 78 yards 0 TD 0 INT.
RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw was his usual elusive tough self and finished with 15 yards on 5 carries during his short playing time.
WR Hakeem Nicks – Nicks did not do much in this game and played very little. However, I expect big things from him once the regular season starts.
DE Justin Tuck – Tuck had 3 tackles in his limited playing time. He will be ready to rock and roll once September comes around.
RB Da’Rel Scott – This rookie is fast. Scott introduced himself to the football world with a 97-yard TD run late in the 4th quarter. He had only 1 carry but made the most of it. Did I mention how fast he is?
CB Terrell Thomas – The team lost CB Thomas for the year with a torn ACL in the 2nd quarter. This is devastating news. Get well soon T2.
RB Brandon Jacobs – Jacobs was flashing some old school ball running last night and had a good game. He finished with 48 yards on 6 carries and 1 TD.
DE Jason Pierre-Paul – JPP was disruptive at times but NFL teams know about the secret now and will look to stop JPP at all costs. Good luck.
LB Mark Herzlich – The rookie LB got his first NFL INT last night and was a force on special teams. The more I see, the more I like this kid.
WR Victor Cruz – Cruz had a very nice game and led all WR’s with 40 yards on 3 receptions. He is another WR making a case to be the 3rd wideout.
P Matt Dodge – Dodge wasn’t awful last night and seemed to play with a chip on his shoulder as he was punting bombs.
LB Jonathan Goff – Goff had the lone sack of the night for Big Blue and had a good game with limited playing time.
TE Daniel Coats – New Giants TE Coats made a nice play late in the game and finished with 17 yards and 1 TD.
K Lawrence Tynes – Tynes did not play in the game and is on the mend from getting banged up in last weeks game against the Panthers.
RB Danny Ware – Ware scored the only TD in the 3rd quarter but needs to work on holding onto the ball.
K Rhys Lloyd – Lloyd had a solid game for a guy who doesn’t kick FG’s. He went 2/2 on FG attempts and 5/5 on extra point attempts.
WR Mario Manningham – Super Mario had a nice game and finished with 39 yards on 4 receptions. He should have a great 2011 season.
QB David Carr – Carr had an outstanding welcome home party and finished the night by going 9/11 for 84 yards and 2 TD’s. I’m glad he is back with the team.
WR Domenik Hixon – Hixon has been making a case for himself to be the third WR in my opinion. He finished with 13 yards and 1 TD.
DE Osi Umenyiora – Osi did not play in the game as he recovers from recent surgery. I’m glad the team will have him on the roster in 2011.
WR Devin Thomas – Devin did a really nice job returning kickoffs. It was nice to see somebody on special teams step up and play with pride.
What did you think about the Giants performance against the Bears on Monday night?
RD – nygreporter.com
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5 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 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, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, Wounded Warrior Project | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, 2011 preseason, 2011 preseason nfl, Ahmad Bradshaw, american football, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Brandon Jacobs, Da'Rel Scott, Daniel Coats, Danny Ware, David Carr, Devin Thomas, Domenik Hixon, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, G-Men, giants blog, giants preseason schedule, Giants Stadium, giants website, Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Lawrence Tynes, Mario Manningham, Mark Herzlich, Matt Dodge, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Osi Umenyiora, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, preseason football, preseason game, Prospects, Rhys Lloyd, Steve Tisch, Terrell Thomas, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, Victor Cruz, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
August 22, 2011
NEW YORK – It is every NFL coaches worst nightmare scenario. Playing in a preseason game and losing a star player for the year to injury. The New York Giants have lost starting CB Terrell Thomas for the year on a bizarre play in which Jason Pierre-Paul’s leg whipped around and hit Thomas in the leg. Yes, it is the dreaded torn ACL injury that all fans know too well. I really feel bad for the guy because we all know how hard he worked during the offseason to better himself. Justin Tuck was on television being interviewed during the game and was asked what he thought about the loss of Thomas, Tuck simply said “it’s devastating”. That might be an understatement. With the Giants looking very thin at the CB position even before this horrible news, they now need to get to work on bringing in adequate backup players. The Giants lost CB Bruce Johnson for the year due to injury and also rookie CB Prince Amukamara for a couple of months with a fractured foot.
This will most likely leave CB Corey Webster and CB Aaron Ross as the two starters. Both of those guys are very capable of filling in but the real question becomes one about depth. The Giants are very thin at one of the most crucial positions in the game of football. Head Coach Tom Coughlin looked like he had seen a ghost when Thomas went down just before the half. Somehow T2 managed to walk off the field on his own but once the team came out of the locker room from halftime, the news broke about Thomas’ injury and his season being over. I can honestly say that I gasped at the news when I first heard it and still haven’t really digested the information yet. Thomas led the team in tackles last year and is clearly a defensive leader for the team. You simply cannot replace the production and a talent like that but the team will need to bring in someone who can fill in temporarily.
CB Michael Coe, CB Brian Jackson and CB Brian Witherspoon could be worked into games as fill ins too. But I still think the team will have to bring in a veteran CB for the depth chart to be even remotely near the talent they lost thus far. Rookie CB Prince Amukamara will return later in the season but I doubt they will throw him in the fire after returning from an injury. Things are about to get very interesting in the backfield and I fully expect to see a new face in Giants blue sometime this week.
How much will losing CB Terrell Thomas for the year hurt the New York Giants?
RD – nygreporter.com
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Posted by robdomaine
August 18, 2011
NEW YORK – Yesterday was a good day to be a Giants fan. The Mike Francesa Show did their annual broadcast from Giants training camp. This is one of the better shows for Giants fans because we get to hear from everyone including owner John Mara, GM Jerry Reese, Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning and a ton of other players. Although the practices are being held at the Timex Performance Center this year, Mr. Mara confirmed that the team will head to Albany next year to honor their agreement. This has been a hectic week for Big Blue and the team continues to make roster adjustments as the season nears. One of the biggest re-signings this week was S Deon Grant. Fans fell in love with Grant over his no nonsense approach to the game and veteran leadership. The Giants defensive backfield must look like a dangerous minefield to opposing offenses with all of the talent back there. I’m glad we don’t have to play against them.
I have a question for you. What do you do when your special teams have been atrocious for the past two seasons (2009, 2010) and look horrible in their first preseason game of 2011? You eliminate special teams from the game by signing a kickoff specialist that will boot the ball through the endzone and make opposing offenses start on their twenty yard line. Brilliant! Fans were scratching their heads when the G-Men signed a kicker this week, who doesn’t kick FG’s. Yes, you heard me right. K Rhys Lloyd was signed to help the Giants in the special teams department. Lloyd (5’11” 230 pounds) comes to Big Blue from the Carolina Panthers and is known for being a specialist that averages about 67 yards per kickoff. With the rule changes to kickoffs this year that state teams must kick from the 35 yard line, you can see what the team is trying to do. Replacing K Lawrence Tynes isn’t a bad idea but Lloyd has never kicked a regular season NFL FG, so it looks like he will be strictly a special teams weapon for kickoffs. It would be worth keeping Lloyd on the final 53 man roster simply because of how bad the special teams group has played. His roster spot is justified and I think he will be a welcome upgrade to the sloppy play as of late.
The Giants also cut S Cary Harris and WR Samuel Giguere this week, clearing up some roster space for other signings. The tight end position could be a real problem this season. The team might be better off just getting a blocking tight end until they are able to find one that can fit the traditional mold. The Giants did sign veteran TE Daniel Coats (6’3″ 264 pounds) last week and since he only has 30 catches in four NFL seasons, perhaps they intend to use him as that blocker I’m talking about. TE Jake Ballard and TE Travis Beckum should compete for the pass catching TE role. Another big move this week was the return of DE Osi Umenyiora to practice. The Giants need Osi on the team and I’m glad he was able to stick it out this year and honor his current contract. If Umenyiora has another season like he did last year, it will be impossible not to pay him what he is asking for. The guy deserves to be paid according to his on-field production. The Giants will play the Bears next on Monday night in the Meadowlands at 8 P.M.
Are you starting to feel more comfortable with the direction the Giants are headed in for 2011?
RD – nygreporter
Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!
8 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 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, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Hamps 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 New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Cary Harris, Daniel Coats, Deon Grant, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, G-Men, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jake Ballard, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kevin Gilbride, Lawrence Tynes, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Osi Umenyiora, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, Prospects, Rhys Lloyd, Samuel Giguere, Steve Tisch, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, Travis Beckum, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
August 16, 2011
NEW YORK – It has been about a week since the news broke about WR Steve Smith going to the rival Philadelphia Eagles. I didn’t write an entire article on this subject because I was still in a state of shock and denial about it for most of this time. It is time for me to give this topic a full article. Now, I know the Giants have some great young WR’s on the team and I know it is time for them to step up. But we are talking about Steve Smith here and not some run of the mill player. Smith is a Super Bowl Champion and Pro Bowl player who was QB Eli Manning’s favorite safety valve. Manning must be fuming at the reality of losing so many of his familiar faces on offense (Smith, Boss, Hedgecock, O’Hara, Seubert, Andrews). I think the game on Saturday showed that he was rattled and will need to put in a lot of work with the new guys before he can settle down.
Giants fans were absolutely disgusting in their remarks to Steve Smith after hearing the news. Some were wishing him dead or for him to get a worse injury then the one the 26 year old is already mending. I couldn’t believe some of the venom being thrown at the man who just 24 hours earlier was a fan favorite. Of course, I understand their anger about him going to a division rival and you could compare it to breaking up with a loved one and saying things that you don’t really mean. I was honestly shocked too by the news that he would accept that deal and jeopardize the New York love he had received so deeply. Apparently, there were some things that did not make it to the press about his situation and following his exodus from Big Blue, there were a ton of back and forth remarks that raised some eye brows. The Giants say they offered him a $35 million dollar deal last year and Smith’s camp says that it never happened. Someone is lying but fans will have to wonder who it is. It’s just plain ugly, either way you look at it.
I think we can all agree that WR Hakeem Nicks is the No.1 WR on the team. The one thing I am certain of is that the Giants do not have a better No.2 WR then Smith on the team. A lot of fans will say that Mario Manningham is better then Smith but I disagree. I am not saying that Manningham is a bad WR at all. In fact, Mario is one my favorite players on the team and can handle his business with the best of them. What I’m saying is that Mario hasn’t done what Smith has done yet. Is the potential there? Sure it is. But we will need to see what happens on the field before making a final assessment. Some will say that Manningham would have taken the No.2 WR spot anyway and that Smith would be the No.3 guy. OK, let’s look at that then for the sake of argument. As far as there being a better No.3 WR on the team, there isn’t. There just flat out isn’t anyone who matches up with Smiths talent that deep into the roster and if you think there is, you’re kidding yourself. Smith holds the all-time single season receptions record for the New York Giants with 107 and until another WR comes close to that kind of production, I simply cannot compare them to Smith.
Steve Smith was the first interview ever for nygreporter. I cannot ever thank him enough for doing that for me (thank you to N.S. and Smith’s agent again for helping set that up). I will forever be a fan of his for that reason (except when he plays the Giants of course) and will always consider him a first class guy off the field. You can check out the interview I did with him here: Steve Smith Interview 3/6/11, nygreporter Edition 0001
Now that you have had some time to really think about the Steve Smith departure, what are you thoughts about it?
RD – nygreporter.com
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Posted by robdomaine
August 11, 2011
NEW YORK – The New York Giants might have to change their name to the New Look Giants this season. The team has been hit with a string of bad news (karma is a female dog) in recent weeks and the team has lost half of their starting offense. The news about WR Steve Smith going to the rival Eagles yesterday sealed the deal for me. I have been a very big fan of GM Jerry Reese and have showered him with praise since the first year he came to the team. But even my faith has been shaken by the mass exodus of pro bowl athletes in 2011. Think about this for a moment, the Giants have lost OL Rich Seubert, OL Shaun O’Hara, TE Kevin Boss, FB Madison Hedgecock and WR Steve Smith. All five of these guys were starters in an offense that requires eleven men. You do the math.
The Giants also lost some other quality guys such as OL Shawn “Fan Fav” Andrews, DT Barry Cofield (who also went to division rival, the Redskins). They are in a contract battle with all pro DE Osi Umenyiora, they lost CB Bruce Johnson to injury and cut him. They signed TE Ben Patrick who turned around and retired on them and they have lost their 1st round pick CB Prince Amukamara for two months. When it rains, it pours. There were other transactions made but these mentioned are the big deals and the team still hasn’t addressed all of the free agents that need signing. The Giants play their first preseason game in two days and will need to get a ton of new players up to speed on the playbook and the system. I’m not sure how they will fair but I wish them good luck with that.
I cannot remember a year in recent memory where the Giants lost so many quality players within a one month period of time. I’m not sure if there ever was a similar situation in team history. Yes, the team has signed some players but they hardly replaced all of the talent the team lost. I hope Jerry Reese knows what he is doing because this will be an unrecognizable group of players on the field to the true blue fan. The fact that the team was six million dollars over the salary cap certainly plays into the mix but that also begs the question of why? Who was watching the salary cap and allowed this to happen? Rabid fans have been calling for the head of Jerry Reese and for changes in the front office as a whole. I will keep my opinions to myself until I see what the team does in 2011. I will not panic but I am certainly deeply concerned.
What are your thoughts about the recent roster moves made by the Giants?
RD – nygreporter.com
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Posted by robdomaine
August 2, 2011
NEW YORK – The New York Giants have been outstanding at the offensive line position for many years now. These guys have done such a good job protecting QB Eli Manning, that they have become almost an after thought. Fans could always rely on those guys to do their job and NFL fans acknowledged their superiority by voting the big guys into multiple Pro Bowls. We now find ourselves in an interesting predicament and completely unfamiliar territory with having to be concerned about the offensive line. Yes, the offensive line is the elephant in the room that nobody has talked about at length. If Eli Manning is going to continue his Iron Man streak for the most consecutive regular season starts, the offensive line is going to need a seamless transition into the new season.
One of the biggest player moves that really made me nervous was the acquisition of QB David Carr. I mentioned this is a previous article but I would like to explain to you why I am nervous. Eli Manning hasn’t really needed a true backup QB so far because he has proven to be extremely durable. A quiet tough guy if you will. With all due respect, Jim Sorgi and Sage Rosenfels aren’t exactly they guys you want running your team for any long period of time. Are the Giants concerned about Manning’s safety with this new offensive line? Do they lack confidence in the new group who will be taking over for Rich Seubert, Shawn Andrews and Shaun O’Hara? Are they concerned with the depth at that position if one or two guys fall to injury? Or did GM Jerry Reese just see an opportunity to sign a quality player familiar with the system?
The starters most likely will be William Beatty, David Diehl, David Baas, Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie. The others include Mitch Petrus, Adam Koets, Kevin Boothe, rookie James Brewer and newly signed Chris White who appear to be the primary backups. There are a handful of other players on the team who will be competing for a role on the offensive line but the players I just mentioned appear to be the front runners. This is going to be the year that certain players will have to step up. I know that is an overused term but it is quite literally what will need to happen in 2011 for the Giants to stay competitive. Some have speculated that Seubert, Andrews or O’Hara could return and play for a smaller contract. With the Giants issues with the salary cap, it is a possibility but unlikely at this point.
In summary, I am very concerned about the offensive line this year. I have faith in the players talent but the lack of experience concerns me. I am also wondering how long it will take QB Eli Manning to become familiar with a new center in David Bass. If those two guys can’t get on the same page quickly, the team is going to be in trouble. If not for the salary cap issues, I would like to see the team bring in another veteran to help out this very young offensive line. Even if it were just to add depth, I would feel much better.
Are you concerned about the Giants offensive line for the 2011 NFL season?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!
9 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, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Hamps 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, NFL New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Adam Koets, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Chris Snee, Chris White, David Bass, David Carr, David Diehl, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, free agent, free agent signings, free agents, free agents giants, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, James Brewer, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kareem McKenzie, Kevin Boothe, Kevin Gilbride, Mitch Petrus, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, nyg free agents, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, Prospects, Rich Seubert, Shaun O'Hara, Shawn Andrews, Steve Tisch, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, website ny giants, website nyg, William Beatty | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
August 2, 2011
NEW YORK – Giants fans across the country let out a collective sigh of relief yesterday, when RB Ahmad Bradshaw agreed to the terms of a new four year contract worth $18 million dollars. This is very good news for Big Blue and basically locks down the running back position, as far as being set for the season. After the G-Men made so many moves on the defensive side of the ball, it was clear that some work had to be done on the offensive side. The Giants are set at QB with Eli Manning and they brought in former Giants QB David Carr to back him up this season. They are fine at the WR spot, even without WR Plaxico Burress returning to the team. WR Steve Smith is the final priority signing at that position and I expect that to get done soon. So the QB, RB and WR positions are set. The special teams group has also had a significant upgrade and I’m very excited to see them perform on the field.
The two offensive areas that still need work are the offensive linemen and the tight ends. The Giants did address the tight end position yesterday by signing the very good blocking TE Ben Patrick. Patrick is a big strong man who comes to New York via the Arizona Cardinals. His one year deal could mean that the team is skeptical about re-signing one of their other tight ends. Kevin Boss is still unsigned and Bear Pascoe will mostly be playing FB according to sources. That leaves TE Travis Beckum as the likely odd man out. The team will have to figure out what role Beckum will be play during training camp and make a decision based on his willingness to adjust.
We also have the DE Osi Umenyiora situation heating up to record highs. Osi made it very clear that he prefers to stay with the Giants but wants a fair contract offer. I have to say that I want Osi to stay too. Fans seem to be split on the topic of Umenyiora. Half would love for him to stay, while the other half perceive him as a trouble maker. Osi spoke to the AP last night via email and wanted to clear his name and let the fans know that it bothers him to be perceived as a “bad guy” for simply wanting a fair contract. I have to agree with him. But there is no denying that there seems to be something wrong with either his communication skills or the public relations people giving him the advice. I can understand both sides of the coin and hope the team can work something out with him.
First round draft pick CB Prince Amukamara, WR Steve Smith and TE Kevin Boss remain the big three players who have yet to sign new contracts. The team has been battling the salary cap this entire free agency period and I’m sure that GM Jerry Reese is working on a creative way to sign these three guys. With the first preseason game just 11 days away, I hope they can agree on something soon. Be sure to check back today for any updates on team transactions.
Have you attended a New York Giants training camp practice this year? Do you plan on attending one?
RD – nygreporter.com
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2 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, Giants Training Camp, 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, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, Wounded Warrior Project | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw, Bear Pascoe, Ben Patrick, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, David Carr, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, free agent, free agent signings, free agents, free agents giants, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kevin Boss, Kevin Gilbride, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, nyg free agents, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Osi Umenyiora, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Plaxico Burress, Players, Prince Amukamara, Prospects, Steve Smith, Steve Tisch, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, Travis Beckum, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
August 1, 2011
NEW YORK – When I flipped over the month of July on my calendar this morning, the realization that football games are really close hit me. The G-Men are only 12 days away from hitting the field to play their first preseason game of 2011. It is hard to believe that after all of the lockout madness we endured, the season is right around the corner. The Giants have a very small window of opportunity to prepare for the Carolina Panthers who they play on August 13, 2011 at 8:00 PM in Carolina. Everything goes into warp speed after that until the first regular season game, which is less then a month away from the first preseason game on September 11, 2011 against the Washington Redskins.
The Giants hope to have some of their crucial players signed very soon. RB Ahmad Bradshaw is still shopping his services around the league but seemed to get thrown for a loop when the Bengals decided to re-sign RB Cedric Benson and the Redskins brought in RB Tim Hightower. Bradshaw was expected to visit both teams before the news broke yesterday. The news that they went elsewhere for running back help must have been hard to swallow. I really hope Ahmad Bradshaw remembers who took a chance on drafting him, when all of the other NFL teams passed him by. I hope he remembers who stuck by him during all of his legal issues, which included jail time after he was already with the team. I hope he remembers who believed in him and who needs him now. Money cannot buy loyalty and the Giants organization has certainly shown loyalty toward Bradshaw over the years. Yes, he should be paid a fair salary but he shouldn’t try to play them for fools either. Come Home Ahmad, where you are wanted. WR Steve Smith is also a priority signing that has yet to happen.
QB David Carr could not contain his excitement when he tweeted that he would be returning to New York for “round two”. The news broke yesterday afternoon that he will be returning to the Giants. I am very happy that the team decided to get a serious backup QB for Eli Manning. At the same time, I am very concerned that the Giants felt the need to bring in a serious backup QB for Eli Manning. With the Giants offensive line in question after releasing two of the five starters and a solid backup, it does beg the question about the teams confidence in the replacements and if they can adequately protect their franchise QB. The offensive line is my biggest concern for the 2011 season.
DE Osi Umenyiora was given permission to seek a trade today. This puts an end to all of the speculation and gives Osi exactly what he asked for. The team is having issues staying under the salary cap and just didn’t have the money to appease Osi’s demands. The Giants will surely get something in return for him, either a player or draft picks. Rumors are saying he could be worth a 1st or 2nd round pick at minimum. I am going to miss Umenyiora if he goes and I want to wish him well where ever he ends up. Also, the Giants first round pick, CB Prince Amukamara remains the only rookie not signed yet by Big Blue.
What is your biggest concern for the Giants as of today August 1, 2011?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!
4 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Lockout, 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, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Hamps 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, NFL New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, David Carr, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kevin Gilbride, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Osi Umenyiora, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, Prince Amukamara, Prospects, Steve Smith, Steve Tisch, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
July 31, 2011
NEW YORK – The Giants went back to work yesterday and continue to work on improving the team. They signed a few new players and have sent out offers to WR Steve Smith, RB Ahmad Bradshaw and TE Kevin Boss. None of the three mentioned players have signed yet but at least there is a starting point to negotiate. Signing those three offensive players is an absolute priority. Prince Amukamara still isn’t signed but the team expects to get him into camp soon, per Coach Coughlin. And NFL teams can now cease pursuing WR Plaxico Burress, who signed a one year deal with the Jets today. The Giants however, went out and signed three more players last night. Big Blue signed OL Chris White, who is a seven year NFL veteran, OL Brant Clouser who is a rookie from Villanova and TE Christian Hopkins who played a couple of years in the UFL.
Fans had an opportunity to see the players on the field last night, as the team started preparing for the season. There is a ton of work to do in a very short period of time due to the lockout. Nobody understands this better then the coaches and the players. Giants.com provided fans with some terrific coverage of the practice and activities yesterday. I encourage all of our readers to go to their site and look through the photos and videos they have there. It really gives fans an inside look at what is going on and a first look at the rookies wearing Giants blue.
All-Pro defensive end Osi Umenyiora showed up at camp last night after receiving a letter from the team notifying him they would be charging him the standard $30,000 fine per day he holds out from his commitment. Osi’s agent said he does not want to speak to GM Jerry Reese and that he still wants a new contract or trade. Osi must realize how deep the G-Men are at defensive end and the fact that they are all signed already. He must feel disrespected by this fact but continues to approach the situation the wrong way. It’s easy for us to speculate because it isn’t our money tied up but Osi still needs to have a cool head when talking to his bosses. The Giants will be back at practice this evening and I hope we see some of these guys signed and suited up to play ball.
GM Jerry Reese really deserves some credit for dealing with a bad situation. Fans have to understand that the team was $6 million dollars over the salary cap when the free agent frenzy began. I continue to see fans throwing darts at Reese for not doing enough but I ask those fans to really take a long hard look at what he has accomplished with little wiggle room. I think they will see that he addressed a lot of areas that needed work including the offensive line and punter situation. Yes, he isn’t signing the flashy names but he is certainly signing solid players who keep their mouths shut and go to work. I applaud you Jerry Reese for handling team business with a visionary approach in gaining quality players.
What do you think about the state of the New York Giants as of today?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please Support The Wounded Warrior Project by Clicking Here, You Are Not Forgotten!!
2 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, Giants Training Camp, 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 Lockout, NFL New York Giants, NFL Schedule, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Schedule, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Timex Performance Center, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, Wounded Warrior Project | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Brant Clouser, Chris White, Christian Hopkins, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, free agent, free agent signings, free agents, free agents giants, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kevin Boss, Kevin Gilbride, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blog, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, nyg blogs, nyg free agents, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Plaxico Burress, Players, Prospects, Steve Smith, Steve Tisch, Tim Mara, Tom Coughlin, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine
NEW YORK – The Giants have come a long way since Monday night. The only problem is they have headed in the wrong direction. I’m one of the most positive Giants fans you will ever come across and even I’m concerned now. Giving a pep talk doesn’t really mean anything when we are discussing the talent on the roster. That speaks for itself and it always confuses me when people talk about staying positive when the team loses star players due to injury. Positivity has nothing to do with on field production. I’m a positive guy but the reality is that the team needs to get some talent on the field and quickly because we are about two weeks away from the start of the regular season.
nygreporter.com 