The 2010 NFL Draft ended three weeks ago and there are still some unanswered questions in my head. There is something that I still can’t wrap my mind around. Why in the world would the New York Giants consider trading defensive tackle Barry Cofield for a second round pick? At first, I thought it was a rumor or pure speculation but reports confirmed that the G-Men did indeed pursue a trade with the New Orleans Saints. I consider GM Jerry Reese to be a top five General Manager in the entire NFL but this trade makes absolutely no sense to me. The Giants drafted Cofield (6’4″ 306 pounds) in 2006 and he has only missed one game in his four years with New York. The 26 year old has been steady and strong in the middle.
What makes this even more bizarre is the fact that the team is in disarray at the DT position. Former Giant Fred Robbins left for the Rams, Jay Alford is returning from a season ending injury, Rocky Bernard is still a question mark and Chris Canty is still a mystery. Bernard and Canty were both plagued by injuries for most of the 2009 season as well. The rest of the DT group are strictly depth players or possible future stars. Why would the team consider trading their only reliable defensive tackle for an unproven prospect? Even if Jerry Reese knew he would be taking a rookie defensive tackle early in this draft, why wouldn’t he have offered someone else for the trade? I can think of half a dozen players (perhaps not worth a second round pick) that could be offered up instead of Cofield. This is the first time I can honestly say that Jerry Reese might have slipped up. I’m very happy that this trade did not go through and the fans can only hope that Cofield doesn’t take this personally, although I don’t know how you can do that as a player, who has been as loyal to a team as Cofield has. Hopefully, all of the parties involved can move past this and prepare for another run at the playoffs in 2010.
DT Barry Cofield was re-signed to a one year contract. I don’t know what the team is looking at that we don’t see but I would have given him a three year contract.
Do you think that trading Barry Cofield for a second round pick would have been a good move? Do you find this attempt to be curious to say the least?
The New York Giants continued to tweak their roster by signing five year NFL veteran WR Derek Hagan to a one year contract. Hagan (6’2″ 215 pounds) hasn’t done much for Big Blue since he came to the team from the Miami Dolphins in 2008. In 2009, Hagan had 101 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. I expect to see Hagan used primarily on special teams but he could get into a few games, if he can impress the coaches. Most Giants fans would prefer to see him do well (myself included), so that the team can be even more effective in the passing game. QB Eli Manning can use all of the help he can get and the re-signing of Hagan shows that Jerry Reese is very intent on keeping Easy Eli happy. A deep group of wide receivers ensures that the team will not be without a backup in that particular area.
There will be a lot of talented receivers on the team in 2010. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks will more then likely take the one and two spot, while the battle for the third slot will be between Mario Manningham and the rest of the wide receiver group. Ramses Barden is still a very intriguing prospect because of his size and strength. One could say that this year’s first round pick, Jason Pierre-Paul could be viewed in the same light as Barden. Barden was brought in as a project because he came from a small school, exactly the same situation as Pierre-Paul finds himself in. QB Eli Manning had a career year in 2009, even though the team finished with a disappointing record. The WR corps was a big part of his progress and they should all flourish once again in 2010.
What do you think about the G-Men re-signing WR Derek Hagan? What do you think about the entire wide receiver group for the 2010 NFL season?
The New York Giants are a very young team. I was extremely surprised to see just how young, when I checked out the roster this morning (courtesy of Giants.com). I decided to look deeper into the college career of Linval “The Anvil” Joseph today and was going to write an article about him (I’ll get to you soon Linval), when I noticed the “years of NFL experience” next to each players name. Needless to say, I was very surprised at what I read. I started to wonder if I was just getting old and if things had always been this way or if this truly was a youth movement going on in New York. I understand that a player with five years of NFL experience is technically a veteran but I would hardly say that he was an old player. In fact, I would say a player at the five year experience mark is just hitting his prime. I used the five year mark as a starting point and worked my way up the ladder of experience. Players at the four year mark and below would certainly be considered “young” in football terms.
The one thing I learned by taking a closer look at the roster was, the oldest three players and spots on the list, all belong to the offensive line. The New York Giants offensive line is one of the best in football and I am not suggesting that they can’t play anymore, I want to make that clear. There is only one player on the team with ten years of NFL experience and only two players on the team, with nine years of experience. All three of them are starting offensive linemen. Giants GM Jerry Reese addressed the offensive line last year by drafting OT William Beatty and again this year by drafting OG Mitch Petrus. I would love to see the current offensive line play for another decade but it is just not going to happen. There are currently 37 players on the roster with four years or less NFL experience.
Personally, I do not look at this as a bad thing. I think the team is doing exactly what they need to do, in order to make another run at the Super Bowl. I have complete faith in Jerry Reese and the rest of the Giants staff. I also disagree with all of the media hype about Tom Coughlin’s job being in jeopardy this year. The man won the Super Bowl in 2007, coached the team to a 12-4 record in 2008 and was plagued by injuries in 2009. Last year was not coach Coughlin’s fault in my opinion. But enough about my opinions, let’s take a look at what the Giants roster tells us.
The Number of players with NFL experience, by years.
10 years of NFL experience – 1 player
9 years of NFL experience – 2 players
8 years of NFL experience – 1 player
7 years of NFL experience – 2 players
6 years of NFL experience – 4 players
5 years of NFL experience – 6 players
What do you think about the youth movement going on in New York? Is this something that will help or hurt the team during the 2010 NFL season?
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?
The New York Giants signed two players today who were attending the rookie mini camp. This is quite an achievement for these two young men because it truly is a long shot to get signed when players take this route. The G-Men also released a player today as well. The roster is slowly beginning to take shape and with each new roster move, the Giants are showing the areas the feel need to be addressed.
The first player signed today is a linebacker from Kentucky named Micah Johnson (not to be confused with the WR prospect Micah Rucker). Johnson is 6’1″ 262 pounds and played most of last year with a strained MCL, something that might have kept teams from taking a closer look at him. The Giants must have seen something they liked or they would not have signed him. The linebacker position will be under a microscope this year and most fans are extremely curious to see who will be the starting MLB when the season starts.
The Giants also signed a quarterback from Wake Forest named Riley Skinner. The 24 year old QB is 6’0″ 210 pounds and is the winningest quarterback in the school’s history. The biggest knock on Skinner (as told by the player experts) will be his height. I have said it before and I will say it again, I’m not sure how well Jim Sorgi can perform on the field during crunch time. I am not calling the man out but when you are Iron Man Peyton Manning’s backup QB, you pretty much watch the game from the bench. Everyone knows he will be an incredible asset as Eli’s study partner but I am very curious to see what he can do when given an opportunity to play, something that all Giants fans hope will never be necessary. Who will eventually end up the true backup QB to Eli Manning is anyone’s guess at this point. QB Rhett Bomar seems to have the inside track for getting in the games.
QB Dominic Randolph was waived by the Giants today.
Two Big Blue linebackers Bryan Kehl and Phillip Dillard, have decided to switch jersey numbers. Kehl will wear No. 55 from now on, while Dillard will rock No. 53. There was no mention of any side payments or favors that were required in order to switch, which has become a custom in the NFL when vets deal with rookies.
Not too much in the news this week Giants Fans. Rookie mini camp was this past weekend, but surprisingly not much news came out from it. Matt Mosley reported on the progress of Linval Joseph. The second round defensive tackle out of East Carolina apparently had a very impressive weekend. Supposedly, he was great at encouraging teamates throughout the camp, so maybe on a defense that is really looking for a voice of leadership this kid can provide a spark.
Speaking of defensive leadership, I think it may be the one issue no one is talking about. Who is going to step up and replace Pierce’s voice? Osi certainly won’t and Tuck has never been out spoken. I personally am hoping Rolle can step in, or maybe Boley, whoever starts at MLB or maybe even Joseph.
Back to this past weekends camp, reports indicate that Jason Pierre-Paul is athletically impressive but that Linval should have a more immediate impact. I think the best case scenario is for JPP to really learn this year and then next year, when either Osi or Kiwi leave, (and one of the certainly will) he can step into the rotation and play a big role.
Final note, Herm Edwards appeared on ESPN after a “Sports Nation” poll revealed Giants’ Fans believe the team will go 12-4 this season. Herm disagreed believing the NFC East will be too strong and the middle of the schedule will be too brutal. He seems to believe the team will be a 10-6 wild card team. Sounds reasonable. In the next edition I’ll try and give a very early schedule break down and maybe do a few more as the offseason progresses.
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.
Hello Giants Fans, I don’t know about you but my head is still spinning from last weeks 2010 NFL Draft. There were some significant roster moves made by the New York Giants this past week. I will give a brief breakdown of the actions taken by Big Blue and give you my thoughts on them. I like what the Giants are doing this off season. I believe the front office has made the team better with a very good draft and by bringing in some valuable free agents. The team also lost some very good players including Antonio PIerce and Fred Robbins, we have yet to see how the team reacts to those losses. I firmly believe the New York Giants will return to the playoffs in 2010 but I am unsure how far they can go beyond that.
Please feel free to leave your own opinions in the comment area and let us know how you think the player moves will effect the team.
– Jeff Feagles has officially retired from the NFL after 22 years. Feagles is a guaranteed Hall of Famer and he will be impossible to replace. Hopefully, either Jy Bond or Matt Dodge can step up and give the team some peace of mind.
– The New York Giants signed 13 players this past week. These are players that will be on the team during training camp and possibly the practice squad. It would be wonderful to see one of these young players step up and make a name for themselves. I’m rooting for them to do well in an unlikely situation. The players include CB Seth Williams, LB Lee Campbell, DT Nate Collins, QB Dominic Randolph, TE Jake Ballard, WR Tim Brown, WR Duke Calhoun, WR Victor Cruz, OT Dennis Landolt, C Jim Cordle, CB Leon Wright, DE Ayanga Okpokowuruk and S Michael Greco.
– Gerris Wilkinson was re-signed by the Giants to a one year contract. This is a good signing for the Giants but Wilkinson will need to play well this season if he wants to be on the team in 2011.
– The New York Giants began their rookie minicamp this past week with 56 players trying to prove that they belong on the team.
– The New York Giants training camp dates have not been announced yet but should be soon. I will include the dates in our “Events” section here on the top toolbar when they are available.
What do you think about all of the Giants actions from this past week? How do you feel about Jeff Feagles retiring?
The first draft class of the New Meadowlands stadium is currently settling in. What a treat for these young players to end up in a situation where the team has brand new state of the art equipment and facilities. These kids today, I’ll tell yaahh! While they were settling in, someone came up to them and said, hey rookie, pick a jersey number. If the number is available, they will get it, if not, then they won’t. Some of them were lucky enough to get the same numbers they wore in college, something I’m told is like a link on a chain to some players. It is extremely important to some and doesn’t mean anything to others.
This is a very exciting time for these rookies. I expect the team to harass them during the training camp and pre-season days. Hopefully, there aren’t any fights that break out this year. These rookies will need to earn the respect of the team, the coaches and the fans. That’s a tall order for anyone to attempt at such a young age. I am confident that the front office has systems in place (Charles Way) to help these young men transition into the pros. They will begin by having every Giants fan rooting for them, while the team and coaches test them. I hope they perform well.
Let’s take a look at what jersey numbers were selected. I will list the rookie players below in the same order in which they were drafted over the weekend during the 2010 NFL Draft.
Round 1 – DE Jason “Wild Thing” Pierre-Paul will wear No. 90
Round 2 – DT Linval Joseph will wear No. 97
Round 3 – S Chad Jones will wear No. 35
Round 4 – LB Phillip Dillard will wear No. 55
Round 5 – OG Mitch Petrus will wear No. 62
Round 6 – LB/DE Adrian Tracy will wear No. 98
Round 7 – P Matt Dodge will wear No. 6
Do you own any authentic New York Giants jersey’s or any kind of Giants jersey at all? What players did you get?
The 2010 NFL Draft is officially over and we can now step back and take a look at what the team has. Like a child ripping through his/her Birthday presents like a chainsaw, fans were getting one surprise after another. This was one of the most fulfilling drafts in recent memory. Even though my player predictions were wrong fifty percent of the time this year, I am still walking away from it knowing that the team got better. With that in mind, the joy of doing the research and scouting fades away. The New York Giants have seven new players to welcome and see what works best. This is about as exciting a group of players as the team has had in a long time. Training camp in Albany can’t come soon enough if you ask me. There are going to be some epic battles on the defensive side of the ball at the linebacker and defensive lineman positions.
My thoughts on each player selected this year. DE Jason Pierre-Paul could be the new Javon Kearse. The guy is a tremendously gifted athlete who is eager to learn. That is the kind of combination that spells solid NFL career. I can’t wait to see him on the field. DT Linval Joseph can be as good as he wants to be. The big guys in the middle have one of the toughest jobs in the NFL. There is a lot to absorb both physically and mentally in the trenches and I think Joseph is up to the task. S Chad Jones, who I believe was a steal in the third round, will prove to be a very valuable pick in the future. This kid has been on my radar for months and I’m very happy that Jerry Reese was able to grab him where they did. I think it’s safe to say that the safety position has been addressed by the G-men. LB Phillip Dillard seems to be a player that will get some time to show what he can do. He had a very good combine workout and should be in the LB fight for a starting role. OG Mitch Petrus is a big guy who fills a need area. The Giants definitely needed some depth on the offensive line and now that have it. I thought the team would have come away with a Center as well but one thing at a time I guess. LB/DE Adrian Tracy is a guy who they will be experimenting with in a couple of different positions. He also had a good combine workout and is a gifted athlete. P Matt Dodge was brought in to add some fire in the Punter competition. All-World punter Jeff Feagles is uncertain if he can continue for another year after 22 in the NFL. Jy Bond and Matt Dodge will battle it out in training camp, if Feagles can’t go another year
I want to be clear about my feeling on the new three day draft event too. I do not like this new system at all and I hope the NFL goes back to the traditional 2-day draft weekend schedule. It was a nice experiment but really way too drawn out. Having a 3-day draft weekend is like staying that extra day in Las Vegas, nothing good can come from it. Not to mention the fans on the West Coast who were probably really upset that it was 3:00 PM when the draft kicked off Friday. Please go back to the 2-day draft weekend NFL, why mess with something that wasn’t broken?
Here is a recap of who the New York Giants selected. Nicknames provided by the NYG Reporter (you heard the nicknames here first, spread the word).
ROUND 1 – DE Jason “Wild Thing” Pierre-Paul, 6’5″ 270 pounds, South Florida
ROUND 2 – DT Linval “The Anvil” Joseph, 6’4″ 328 pounds, East Carolina
ROUND 3 – S Chad “Keepin’ Up With The” Jones, 6’2″ 221 pounds, LSU
ROUND 6 – LB/DE Adrian “Yo” Tracy, 6’3″ 248 pounds, William and Mary
ROUND 7 – P Matt Dodge “Viper”, 6’1″ 225 pounds, East Carolina
What do you think about the New York Giants 2010 NFL Draft? What grade would you give them for this year? I am giving Jerry Reese and Co. an “A”. Welcome to New York!
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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.
The 2010 NFL Draft ended three weeks ago and there are still some unanswered questions in my head. There is something that I still can’t wrap my mind around. Why in the world would the New York Giants consider trading defensive tackle Barry Cofield for a second round pick? At first, I thought it was a rumor or pure speculation but reports confirmed that the G-Men did indeed pursue a trade with the New Orleans Saints. I consider GM Jerry Reese to be a top five General Manager in the entire NFL but this trade makes absolutely no sense to me. The Giants drafted Cofield (6’4″ 306 pounds) in 2006 and he has only missed one game in his four years with New York. The 26 year old has been steady and strong in the middle.
Posted by robdomaine 
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