This week, the New York Giants began and completed minicamp activities. We here at the nygreporter, have gotten some excellent coverage from our very own Robert Domaine and already there are a lot of topics to cover. By far, the biggest story making headlines is the loss of WR Domenik Hixon for the season. Hixon tore his ACL during practice on the new turf of New Meadowlands Stadium. Hixon was not an intricate part of the offense, although he was second in the league last season in punt return average. The true story behind the story here is the safety of the turf. Safety Antrel Rolle and wide receiver Steve Smith both seem to believe the turf is to blame for Hixon’s injury, however GM Jerry Reese respectfully disagrees. Rolle claims to have seen the injury and remarked that Hixon “…didn’t make a cut or anything”. Smith thought the turf was “real slippery”, a sentiment Rolle also expressed saying, “I was slipping on each and every play”. Reese and Coughlin both expressed their belief that Hixon did not get caught on the turf and that “it could happen on any surface”. Either way, it will be a developing story to watch for the remainder of the offseason.
Osi Umenyiora has stated that he does not want to be a distraction in camp this season and that what has really been hurting is his pride. According to ESPN, Osi wants the best man to play this season. Osi, who was benched for the last four games of last season, spoke publicly about his unhappiness with his role in the team. Since then, Osi has gotten very quiet. I truly believe he and the rest of the defensive line, will have a good, productive, and effective relationship this season. If they can work together, the returning linemen and the new additions should be poised for a very good season, as Perry leads them back to an attacking pass rushing force.
Amani Toomer is still making headlines even in his retirement. Amani plans to run the New York Marathon this year; he will be running for the New York Road Runners youth program. Timex has sponsored Toomer, promising to donate 1 dollar for every runner he beats. Amani will be the first NFL player to run since Lynn Swan did so in 1993.
One final note, I was thrilled to see the Philadelphia Flyers lose the Stanley Cup. As I told you in my last edition, being close to Philly (as the city is affectionately called) is painful enough, but the comparisons to the Flyers’ post-season run to the Giants’ Super Bowl run was unbearable. Seeing a different outcome was a wonderful, and selfish, surprise.
The New York Giants have reported that WR Domenik Hixon will miss the entire 2010 season. Hixon will have surgery on a torn ACL in the next two or three weeks. Domenik Hixon is a tall receiver (6’2″) who has worked his tail off since coming to the Giants. Team reports say that Hixon will have his non guaranteed contract honored, since he was injured during practice. This is not a very good way to christen the brand new stadium. The culprit is said to have been the new turf that was put in at the stadium (hopefully, we had local guys do the job and didn’t outsource the job to a Texas or Philadelphia company). Hixon planted his foot into the new turf and had it get stuck, twisting his leg and knee while trying to release it. You can bet your last dollar that there will be some investigations into the new field and any repairs that need to made, will be done so swiftly.
Hixon has had a rocky three year career with Big Blue and just a couple of months ago, signed a one year contract with the G-men. He most likely would have been used on special teams in 2010, returning punts and kick offs. Now that WR’s Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, have all shown what they can do on the field, they will be used as the primary three wide receivers in 2010. Of course, things can change at any moment but those three seem to have a lock on the three starting roles.
Be sure to come back and check out today’s (day two) mini camp wrap up.
Do you think that WR Domenik Hixon’s season ending surgery will end his stay with the New York Giants?
Hello Giants Fans, I’ve noticed that the 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft rooms have been heating up. I know it is difficult to believe but ESPN already has their mock draft rooms up and running. It’s the same story with CBS Sports and their fantasy mock drafts. We are almost into June now and things are sure to heat up over the summer. The real 2010 NFL Draft has been over a couple of months now and the next significant time period will be training camp. There hasn’t been a release of those dates and locations as of yet but we know that the G-Men will be attending Albany this season for certain.
I am going to give you a list of the New York Giants players that will be worth having on your fantasy roster for the 2010 NFL season. I believe that the Giants wide receivers offer the best shot at making a difference on your team. I expect Easy Eli to have an improved year in 2010 and make the Pro Bowl. Clearly, the wide receiver group will benefit the most from Manning’s production on the field. I think drafters can get the New York Giants defense as a steal in the mid-to-late rounds. I expect the Giants defense to finish in the top ten for 2010. These are simply my thoughts on the 2010 possibilities for Big Blue. I’m sure this will help someone who reads this and decides they want to take a shot on some of these guys. Remember, this is designed to be a fun game, so don’t take it too seriously and enjoy yourself.
2010 Fantasy Football players on the New York Giants.
1. WR Steve Smith – Smith is coming off a career season with Big Blue and he also made the pro Bowl in 2009. He is going to lose some passes to Hakeem Nicks but will still get enough to build on his numbers from last year. Look for 1,200 plus receiving yards and 10 TD’s from Smith in 2010.
2. QB Eli Manning – Manning is also coming off of a career year and I expect him to outperform 2009’s numbers and also make it to the Pro Bowl in 2010. I expect 4,000 plus yards and at least 30 TD’s from Manning in 2010.
3. WR Hakeem Nicks – I expect Hakeem Nicks to have a breakout season, by setting a new Giants record for receiving yards in a single season (currently 1,343 yards by Amani Toomer in 2002). This is another guy who could prove to be a steal around the 5th or 6th round of your draft.
4. RB Brandon Jacobs – Look for Brandon the Bull to return to form in 2010 with 1,000 yards rushing and 10 TD’s. You can easily get Jacobs in the 5th round in most drafts, I suggest you grab him or pay later.
5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw will prove to have the skills to be a number one running back on any team. I predict he will have a 200 plus yard game during the 2010 NFL Season. I’m predicting 1,000 plus rushing yards and 5 TD’s in 2010.
6. TE Kevin Boss – Boss is about to have surgery on his ankle but should be ready for training camp. He is working his way up a short ladder of NFL tight ends. I’m guessing 600 receiving yards and 5 TD’s in 2010 for Boss.
7. New York Giants Defense/Special Teams – I am predicting the New York Giants defense will finish the 2010 NFL season in the top 10.
8. Wild Card Players – WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, RB Andre Brown WR Victor Cruz and TE Travis Beckum.
Which New York Giants players do you deem worthy of a fantasy football roster spot? Do you play fantasy football? Check out the link in the comment area for a brand new fantasy sports site.
I would like to talk about CB Aaron Ross for a bit today. This is one of the most intriguing issues the Giants will face in 2010. Ross was a budding star before his injury plagued 2009 season. Reports came out saying that he was unsure about his NFL career and if he even wanted to play anymore. Not exactly the type of talk you want to hear from your starting cornerback. Most of what came out of Ross’ mouth, was due to the depression he must have felt about not being able to play. He is an extremely competitive guy and I imagine that the frustration got the better of him that day and the media ran with his comments. Ross is a Super Bowl Champion and knows what it takes to get there again. He must know that he is an important part of the puzzle and that the team needs him. We know his heart is there, now we need to know that his body can do the work.
CB Terrell Thomas has emerged as the number one cornerback on the Giants defense and I’m curious to see who will be starting opposite him. If Ross is healthy, he will certainly get his starting role back but if he can’t go, things will get extremely interesting. There are only seven cornerbacks on the current roster and three of them are rookies. CB Corey Webster (the senior CB with five years of NFL experience) would seem to be the obvious choice to replace Ross if he can’t play.
Let me be clear, I am a fan of Aaron Ross. Like many Giants fans, I would love nothing more then to see him running around and making plays for Big Blue. When I spoke with Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk of Giants.com last week, I brought up the subject of Ross’ health and didn’t receive a definitive answer from them. I didn’t get the feeling that the guys were hiding anything but rather, they truly don’t know what will happen. Eisen said that Ross continues to work hard on his rehab and we will have to wait and see how that translates to the field. A bad hamstring can be a lingering problem and something that could resurface from time to time.
What do you think about the current cornerback situation in New York? Do you think the team needs to grab another free agent CB or are you confident with the players currently on the roster? How important is it that CB Aaron Ross return to the field?
NYGReporter was representing on Tuesday, as we called into the Giants.com radio podcast “Eisen’s Insight LIVE” and talked to the guys over at the stadium. The show is hosted by Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk. I called in as “Robert from New York” and can be found at the halfway mark of the show. I asked the guys about safety Kenny Phillips’ injury status and how he is progressing. Michael Eisen said that he was coming along well but he will need to give it the final test on the field to really know for sure. He also said the team is being “cautious” about announcing anything definitive concerning Phillips. I’m sure that I am not the only Giants fan concerned about Phillips’ situation because he is one of the most promising athletes the Giants have. We all wish him a full and speedy recovery.
I also asked about RB Andre Brown (ruptured achilles) and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) and how they were doing, after both had suffered injuries in 2009. Again, Michael Eisen said that both of them were coming along fine and that it was a good thing (as good as it can be) that Brown got injured last August, so he had time to fully heal. Eisen also mentioned that Ross will need to get on the field and see how the hamstring feels before he will know anything for certain. Aaron Ross plays a huge role in the Big Blue secondary and Brown was touted as a possible break out star when he was drafted in 2009. The fans certainly hope that both of these men will be good to go in 2010.
It was a brief talk during the podcast but I found both Eisen and Schmeelk to be good guys. I have followed their work for quite some time and had a lot of fun being on their show. I was going to ask if I could say a plug for NYGReporter.com but wasn’t sure if that would be a conflict of interest, maybe next time. Enjoy!
I will leave a link to the Giants Radio podcast below, so that our readers can listen to it for themselves. Remember to have the volume turned up on your computer when you click the link.
OK, here is the scenario. If you were Jerry Reese and learned that Kenny Phillips might miss the first 4-6 weeks of the NFL season, would you trade up and grab the future all-pro safety Eric Berry? Has the Antrel Rolle signing and obvious potential of Kenny Phillips when healthy made us focus elsewhere? If Antrel Rolle is clearly one starter, then who would the other one be? Michael Johnson? Deon Grant? Do you think it is a dead issue to consider the lethality of a healthy Phillips, Rolle and Berry. When all three are playing at an optimum level, it could change how backfields are used in NFL schemes. The Bermuda Triangle backfield.
Drafting Berry would let the Giants know one thing for certain, they would not need to do anything with the safety position for five or six years minimum. That’s not bad when you think about it. Eric Berry is clearly the best safety in the draft and he also had a very crisp and clean combine workout. It is not likely that the team would pursue this but I was very impressed with this young man. I think he has a very bright future in the NFL. I have Eric Berry going to Tampa Bay with the third overall pick. The last time I felt there was a player the G-men might move up for was Michael Crabtree. Clearly, that did not work out for the Giants or 49ers. I hope he has a very good year and proves the doubters wrong in 2010.
What do you think about the Giants grabbing yet another safety before the 2010 season? Will it or could it ever happen? If not Berry, then possibly safety Earl Thomas or Taylor Mays at pick fifteen? Maybe Chad Jones in round two? Is the safety discussion one that should be over with by now? What are your thoughts?
As of April 12, 2010, the NYG Reporter fully supports and promotes the American Red Cross on our website. You can find a link to the site on the right side bottom. I have personally done volunteer work for the Red Cross during the 2005 hurricane season (Wilma) in South Florida and another time in the late 1990’s. I know what it feels like to have no power, electricity or water for two weeks. Disaster relief and preparedness are things that no one generally thinks about until it’s too late. I would urge all Americans to have a proper kit ready for all disaster type situations. One of our community leaders Saulo Padua, who is practicing law in Brazil, just recently experienced first hand what the devastating storms can do. Brazil was hit very hard last week. Hopefully, Saulo can leave a comment here and tell us a little about what he has seen there. The Red Cross was founded in 1881 and has been helping with disaster relief for 129 years.
It doesn’t take much to contribute to the American Red Cross. The socialvibe company has made it even more simple to donate some time to them. If you click the American Red Cross banner on the bottom right hand side of the screen, it shows you that all you need to do, is spend some time (literally) looking around as a donation. It’s very simple and shows a “counter” with exactly how many minutes are being donated by those browsing. Everyone who checks out the American Red Cross from the NYG Reporter site will counted but not named, with respect to our community privacy policy. We will select a new charity to support every three months. It doesn’t mean we longer support the previously posted charity, it just means we are giving some other charities a chance to be promoted. We will settle on four charities to support and promote them seasonally. The American Red Cross is the first to be chosen but not the last.
I urge all parents and people alike, to take the time to make a disaster preparedness plan. Every home should have a small bag with the following items in it. Keep this bag in a place where you know it will always be ready to go if something should happen. Going over a “what to do if…” scenario with children and spouses. It takes one night of sitting and talking. Having the bag ready to go, takes a lot of thinking out of the process when trying getting back to normal. The thing with a disaster is you never really know what you are going to need, until you need it.
After taking a look at the current New York Giants roster, I believe the team can do well in 2010. They are a young football team that should have some good competition come training camp time. I was surprised at some of the number of players per position. Some of the areas where I thought the G-men were thin, they weren’t. Using the current roster, if it doesn’t change again before the draft, you can begin to see what the team might be thinking since they are so close (12 days away from the 2010 NFL Draft) to getting down to business. The Giants War Room will be rocking and I would not be surprised to see some deals getting done. The G-Men have been very aggressive this off season.
Giants fans are left with more questions then answers. The team has addressed the safety position thoroughly and made some other basic roster moves. Jerry Reese is a man who always has a plan and I am sure he can see the future better then any of us. I’m on the fence currently about drafting either a linebacker or offensive lineman in round one. Linebacker is the bigger need but if the ones they targeted are off the boards, then I would go offensive lineman here. Getting Eli Manning some help during his prime, can only benefit the team long term.
I expect the defense to be better in 2010 without a doubt. They are young and fast and I believe they are going to surprise a lot of teams. I’m excited to see who is going to step up on offense and if the team is ready to invest in another big weapon for Manning. Look for RB Brandon Jacobs to have an improved year and get back to knocking people down, north and south. DE Osi will have some reassuring to do after his 2009 season, by playing his heart out and convincing coaches and fans he wants to stay with the team. WR Steve Smith will prove that 2009 was not a fluke by mimicking his success this season. LB Clint Sintim and WR Ramses Barden should get more playing time and OL William Beatty could be starting by the end of the year.
There are a lot of exciting possibilities in 2010. I expect a real battle at the linebacker position during training camp. I believe that will be the most interesting of them all. Will DE/DT Chris Canty and DT Rocky Bernard make a difference? What do you think about the 2010 New York Giants situation as of today, right now?
Here is a list of questions that I am asking myself about the New York Giants prior to the 2010 NFL Draft. Feel free to leave your comments below.
1. Backup QB situation. Is Jim Sorgi “game ready”? Is Rhett Bomar the answer?
2. Who will play the Middle linebacker position for Big Blue in 2010?
3. Will the running backs be healthy? Will RB Andre Brown emerge?
4. Will safety Kenny Phillips be healthy and ready to play?
5. How will new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell do in his first year with the team?
6. How will some of the other coaching changes effect the plays on the field?
7. Who will the Giants take with the number one pick in the 2010 NFL Draft?
8. Will CB Aaron Ross be healthy and ready to play mentally?
9. Will K Lawrence Tynes still be on the team for the 2010 season?
10. Will P Jeff Feagles have a better season then in 2009?
11. Will TE’s Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum get more work on the offense?
12. Will WR Hakeem Nicks have a breakout season in 2010?
13. Why are WR Sinorice Moss and RB DJ Ware still on the roster based on their career numbers?
14. Will OL William Beatty be starting at left tackle by the end of the season?
15. Can the New York Giants make it back to the playoffs in 2010?
Once upon a time, the New York Giants had the number one running attack in the NFL. A lot of those same players are still on the team. They were banged up in 2009 but have rehabbed nicely and are preparing now for the upcoming season. Brandon Jacobs is the number one guy on the team. He is backed up by Ahmad Bradshaw, who is often the spark that lifts the Giants offense in crucial moments. Brandon is the bull and Bradshaw is the lightning. RB Andre Brown, who missed his entire rookie season to an injury, is said to be coming along nicely and should play in 2010. Gartrell Johnson ran hard with the limited game time I saw. I believe that Brandon and Bradshaw will get their groove back in 2010. I think they are going to be owed a lot of apologies when it’s all over. Opinions have varied greatly on this topic alone, what do you think?
Jacobs and Bradshaw played injured for most of the 2009 season. They were not used properly in a lot of strange situations but still tried to finish out the year. I expect a rested Bradshaw to have an outstanding 2010 season. A lot of noise has been made recently about the Giants possibly drafting RB CJ Spiller in round one. I would not be upset if this did occur because Spiller is a great talent and I don’t know if GM Jerry Reese passes on this kid for LB Rolando McClain if he’s available. If the Giants draft a RB that almost certain means that RB Gartrell Johnson will be cut shortly thereafter.
What do you think about the current New York Giants running back situation? Is there a RB draft pick you have in mind and in what round?
Here is a list of the current New York Giants Running Backs:
This was the number one need for the New York Giants and it seems like Jerry Reese knew it. After signing Antrel Rolle to a big contract and bringing on Deon Grant, the Giants made a statement by these moves and by cutting safeties Aaron Rouse and CC Brown. This leaves the Giants with five safeties on the team as of today. With Michael Johnson as the number one backup to the Kenny Phillips/Antrel Rolle tandem, I see no reason why this won’t be one of the best defensive back groups in football. The only thing that could derail this plan is if Kenny Phillips is not fully healthy. Remember, it was not very long ago that Kenny Phillips was being compared to the great Ed Reed. The future of the Giants safety group resides with Phillips’ health.
Safety Deon Grant was brought in as a reliable safety, who doesn’t miss games. Grant is 31 years old and the oldest player in the safety corps, automatically making him the veteran voice. The safety position was the worst of the bunch in 2009. Having Perry Fewell work with the defense is a plus. Bill Sheridan was released after an atrocious 2009 campaign. The defensive backfield will be under a microscope in 2010 and I expect the Giants players to be ready. I am assuming that the signing of Grant means that Rashad will not be on the final roster for 2010. This is an area that was thoroughly addressed already this offseason.
What do you think about the current New York Giants safety situation? Is there any reason to pursue another Safety in the 2010 NFL Draft?
Here is a list of the current New York Giants Safeties:
This site was born on 03/06/10 in the state of New York. nygreporter is a home for New York Giants fans and writers. We are a family friendly website and keep the comments clean. Remember that kids read this stuff too. This is a place where football fans can come and go as they please, without any headaches. We are a destination for NFL fans who want real analysis and original opinion articles about the New York Giants. The idea is to continue publishing solid work and to build on the existing good reputation we have within the Giants community. Ultimately, leading to a full time paid job writing or partnership of this website with someone who can see the light and see the social media value of working with values.
THE 2011 NFL LOCKOUT IS OVER AS OF 7/25/11. The lockout lasted (136 days). **A judge ordered the end of the NFL lockout for 4 days on 4/25/11 but I do not subtract those 4 days from the total.
This week, the New York Giants began and completed minicamp activities. We here at the nygreporter, have gotten some excellent coverage from our very own Robert Domaine and already there are a lot of topics to cover. By far, the biggest story making headlines is the loss of WR Domenik Hixon for the season. Hixon tore his ACL during practice on the new turf of New Meadowlands Stadium. Hixon was not an intricate part of the offense, although he was second in the league last season in punt return average. The true story behind the story here is the safety of the turf. Safety Antrel Rolle and wide receiver Steve Smith both seem to believe the turf is to blame for Hixon’s injury, however GM Jerry Reese respectfully disagrees. Rolle claims to have seen the injury and remarked that Hixon “…didn’t make a cut or anything”. Smith thought the turf was “real slippery”, a sentiment Rolle also expressed saying, “I was slipping on each and every play”. Reese and Coughlin both expressed their belief that Hixon did not get caught on the turf and that “it could happen on any surface”. Either way, it will be a developing story to watch for the remainder of the offseason.
Posted by Josh Berman 
nygreporter.com 