New York Giants

Shockey to Saints deal dead??

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The general manager of the New Orleans Saints said in an interview last night that the Saints are out of the running for New York Giants start tight end Jereme Shockey. He claimed the Giants asking price was too high.

Could he be trying bait Giants GM Jerry Reese into lowering the price for Shockey? Probably, however I feel Reese will stick to his guns and Shockey will be catching passes from Eli Manning in 2008.

Has Strahan made his decision?

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New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said during a recent interview that he has basically made his mind up whether or not to retire. Strahan claims he is keeping it to himself until he is 100% certain of his decision.

You could speculate either way as to what that means, probably a waste of time, but I'll do it anyway. I think Michael Strahan will play for the New York Giants in 2008! I feel he knows that he has more football in him and would love the challenge of trying to repeat as Super Bowl Champion.

My guess is that sometime near the end of training camp, he will suddenly announce he will come back...sound familiar. Lets just hope for the same results as last year.

Feeling confident!

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As the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants( still sounds good, doesn't it??)  wrap up  their rookie camp, I look at this team and feel very confident heading into next season.

Now that we know what the team will look like (with the possible exceptions of Michael Strahan and Jeremy Shockey, though I personally expect both to be back),  I went  over the roster to find any  glaring holes. Last season they  said we were weak in the secondary; Kenny Phillips, Terrill Thomas and the emergence of Corey Webster and Aaron Ross solve that issue.I like our secondary.

It was said we need a game breaker at receiver to take some pressure off Plexico Burress. I think Mario Manningham fits the bill. Also, I am anxious to see what Steve Smith can do with one year experience under his belt, he was very impressive during the Super Bowl run.   Not to mention that Plexico  played  through injuries all season and figures to come back healthy. I like our receivers.

The rest of the team is very solid. The offensive line will be back in tact and they are clearly one of the best units in the NFL...(although, I would feel better  with more depth there). The running game  is stacked  with  Brandon  Jacobs, Ahmed  Bradshaw, Rueben Droughns and Derrick Ward. We have quality at tight end with Shockey and Kevin Boss. We have a Super Bowl MVP in Eli Manning, and on defense, we still have the leagues best pass rush.

Lets get the season started!

Manningham injured in practice

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New York Giants third round draft choice Mario Manningham suffered a soft tissue injury today in  practice.

Maningham was running a  "stop and  go" pattern when the injury occurred. While it is not thought to be serious, any missed practice time for a rookie is not good.

The coaching staff, injuries aside, seems  pleased  with  the  progress  of  the  rookie  class  so far.

Giants rookie mini camp notes

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The Super Bowl Champion New York Giants wrapped up day one of their two day rookie mini camp yesterday.

While these are generally pretty uneventful, the biggest news was about Mario Maningham. The controversial receiver showed signs that the Giants might have had the steal of the 2008 NFL draft. Manningham grabbed a short pass from Andre Woodson, faked one defender out of his shoes, spun and raced  sixty yards for a touchdown.  If he can do that  on  Sundays  nobody  will  give a  damn  about  his  low  score  on  the   wonderlic  test  or  any  of  the  other  issues  surrounding  him.

Camp concludes  today.

Shockey trade rumors still alive

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The proposed trade of New York Giants star tight end, Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints was thought to end with no deal getting done at the end of the 2008 NFL draft. However, there is growing talk that the Saints are still pursuing Shockey.

While it is just rumor at this point, we will keep following the story as things develop.

On a side note, can you imagine Shockey living near the French Quarter...good luck getting him
to the game on time.

Giants give David Diehl contract extension

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The New York Giants came to terms yesterday on a six year, $31 million contract extension with left tackle, David Diehl. The move helps the Super Bowl Champs maintain stability at one of the most important positions on the team.

Diehl started his career as a guard and was moved to tackle after the Giants released Luke Petigout.

Diehl  has  done  an  outstanding  job  protecting  Eli  Manning's  blind side.

My Giant fear for the season

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One of the biggest reasons for the New York Giants historic Super Bowl run last season was our Offensive Line. I would stack our starting five; David Diehl, Rich Seubert, Sean O'Hara, Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie against any line in football. They kept Eli Manning on his feet and opened up enough holes to allow the Giants the 4th highest rushing total in the NFL. Even more impressive, it didn't seem to matter much who ran behind these guys...Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, Rueben Droughns and Ahmed Bradshaw (again, no relation to Terry), were all effective.

My fear is injury. We simply don't appear to have any depth there right now. Outside of unproven Guy Whimper and the ancient Grey Rugamer, not much there. It wasn't addressed in the draft, however, Jerry Reese did sign some  Rookie free agents. Lets hope one or two of them pan out....lets hope even more so  that it doesn't matter.   

Coughlin's revenge!

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I'll  be honest, I won't BS my fellow New York Giants fans....I am not one of these people who says "I always knew Tom Coughlin was the right man for the job." At the end of the 2006 season, when we were eliminated by the Philadelphia Eagles, not only did I want Coach Coughlin fired....I wanted him severely beaten (just kidding....sort of).

I had grown tired of his players rebelling against him (Jeremy Shockey, Tiki Barber....by the way Tiki, did you happen to catch the Super Bowl??), tired of poor clock management, tired of the absurd amount of penalties called against the team of the ultimate discipline coach. I sincerely felt the New York Giants, under Tom Coughlin, would always be a very talented group of underachievers.

When the decision was announced that the Giants gave Coughlin a one year extension I realized I had to go out and do some really heavy drinking...(I did).

Then after we started out the 2007 season 0-2, I proclaimed Tom Coughlin the worst coach in the history of the New York Giants....(with apologies to Ray Handley....it was hard to write his name just now).

Then they somehow came together. There was no rebellion, no second guessing the coach, no players quitting on Coughlin. Instead, the kinder and gentler Coughlin sat down with his newly formed "leadership council", they kept the team on the same page, and the result was one of the most dramatic turn around stories in NFL history.

In another ironic twist of fate, most NFL insiders feel Tom Coughlin actually out coached the genius, Bill Belichek in the Super Bowl...and all with out cheating!

As  I sit here now,  about three  months  to  the  day  after  Tom  Coughlin  coached  our  New  York  Giants  to  the  greatest  victory  in  our  teams  storied  history,  let  me  just  say  to  the  coach....sorry, you are one hell of a coach and I am an idiot (a happy idiot,  but still an idiot).  I am proud  to  have  you  as  the  head    coach  of  my  favorite  team. 

Now  go  get  one  more!!

Who will be the odd man out at wide receiver?

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Since the New York Giants drafted talented but troubled receiver Mario Manningham out of Michigan in round three, it begs the question; who will be cut to make room on the roster for Manningham?

Assuming Manningham can stay out of trouble, (and assuming he can even find  Giants  stadium...a  score of six on the wonderlic test doesn't exactly imply genius), the Giants seem to have plans for the guy. He is an extremely talented game breaking type of receiver...thus the chance they are taking on him.

The Giants are clearly set at the top of the receiving rotation with Plexico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith....and now Mario Manningham. Beyond  that, there are a group of guys  competing  for a  spot:

Super Bowl hero David Tyree is fine since he is primarily a special teams player, Domenick Hixon has blazing speed and also is a quality special teamer, Michael Jennings, the same could be said for, provided he can stay healhty. The guy in trouble, in my opinion is Sinorice Moss. He was drafted in the second round in 2006 and has been significant only to the Giants medical staff. I believe Manningham's selection is the end of the road for Moss as a New York Giant.

Super Bowl Champs to visit the White House today!

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The Super Bowl Champion New York Giants (God, I just love saying that!) will be honored by President Bush at the White House today.

In an interesting footnote, Jeremy Shockey will not be in attendance. Very poor decision  Jeremy.

The last time Coach Coughlin met with a politician he had an interesting  exchange:

Look coach, pretty soon I'll be making these

New York Giants 2008 rookie free agent signings

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Listed below are the 2008 Rookie free agent signings to date for the New York Giants. In  case you say...undrafted college players, who cares? Remember, Antonio Pierce was an undrafted rookie free agent signed by the Washington Redskins not too long ago. Last time I checked he turned into a pretty good player. So here they are:

S Nehemiah Warrick, Michigan State
DE Wallace Gilberry, Alabama
OL Glenn Bujnoch, Cincinnati
DE Antonio Reynolds, Tennessee
OL Andrew Bain, Miami
OL Carnell Stewart, LSU
OL Dylan Thiry, Northwestern
DT Nate Robinson, Akron
WR D.J. Hall, Alabama

Why the Giants might be better then last year

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As I sit here a day after the conclusion of the 2008 NFL draft and look at the New York Giants team, with the significant portion of free agency signings complete, I feel we could actually be better  then  last season. I know, I know, it is very  difficult to repeat, every team is after us, blah, blah blah...I get it.By the way, it is very possible for us to be better and still not repeat given all the things that must go right to win a Super Bowl. But I honestly believe this team can (and must) be better...here's why:

First, Eli Manning seems to have turned into the franchise Quarterback the Giants traded for.He is 27 years old, this will be his 5th year in the NFL, and he is just entering his prime years. The confidence and credibility he gained during the Giants Super Bowl run can't be ignored...it will help him.

Second, Coach Coughlin now has tons of credibility as well..and the players seem to love him . This is his team with his guys and that means a lot. The players have his back....if a guy like Shockey pulled his "we were out coached" crap, players would put him in his place.    

Third, it is the second year for the offensive and defensive coordinators, Kevin Gilbride and Steve Spagnolo now have guys with a year under their belts as far as the system. A lot of the early season confusion we saw, especially on defense, should be gone.Also, both coordinators know what guys can do and how much they can trust them.Basically, they should have more stability.

Fourth, last seasons amazing crop of rookies...Aaron Ross, Steve Smith,Jay  Alford, Kevin  Boss, Ahmed Bradshaw,ect, now have some significant NFL experience. Because of injuries and the Super Bowl run, these guys had to grow up fast and they all responded. That should pay dividends this season.

Fifth, new personnel. The Giants replaced off season losses through free agency with line backer Danny Clark and veteran safety Sammy Knight. But, I believe Jerry Reese might just have done it again in the draft. The  Giants pass rush will again be solid but they have now added play makers in the secondary in Kenny Phillips and Terrill Thomas. We now could have tremendous depth at line backer with the additions of Bryan Kehl and Jonathon Goff. We added a big time player at wide out in Mario Manningham (even if he might score more touchdowns this season then questions he answered correctly on the Wonderlic test...6...ouch!). And Reese even procured a former Heisman candidate, Andre Woodson, to back up Eli Manningham..I mean Eli Manning.And what Giants draft would be complete without a pass rushing defensive end, Robert Henderson.

Finally, there are two key players returning who did not participate in the Super Bowl run. Mathias Kiwanuka was just really starting to come on at his new position before the season ending injury he suffered. He is an outstanding pass rusher and will cause fits for opposing QB's.Then there is our old friend Jeremy Shockey...yes I felt he would be traded, and for the right offer should have been. But the right offer never came along. Shockey is a pro bowl tight end who can change the course of a game. If he comes in with the right attitude...meaning keep your mouth shut and put team first...not a given, I admit, but if he does  this offense could be dangerous. Imagine having Shockey, Burress, Bradshaw, Toomer  and  Manningham  all  on  the  field  together.

Call me crazy...lots of people do, but what the hell do they know?? I am VERY optimistic. Giants fans, remember...you actually can comment on this site, we encourage it, let us know what you think.

If I am correct, we may have another one of these very soon:

New York Giants 2008 NFL draft re cap

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Well Giants fans, GM Jerry Reese has his second draft as the head man in the books, and with any luck he did as brilliant a job as last year. Here is a brief look:

Round One: Safety, Kenny Phillips, Miami:

Kenny Phillips is a hard hitting safety with good speed, excellent coverage skills and a ton of upside. He also has the ability to play the cornerback position if needed. He might very well be the play maker the Giants have long sought at the safety position.

Round two: cornerback, Terrill Thomas, USC:

Thomas is a very fast, hard hitting CB who can also play safety if needed (Reese seems to like versatile players). He is very athletic and a play maker. The only possible knock is that he has shown  an  inclination  towards  injury. If he  can  stay  on  the  field, he will have an impact.

   

Round three: wide receiver, Mario Manningham, Michigan:

Mario Manningham is an outstanding wide receiver who will give opposing defenses fits when paired up with the other talent the Giants have on that  side of the  ball.  He  has  good  speed, sure  hands  and  big  play  ability.  He was  considered  a  mid-first  round  pick  until  some  off  the  field  concerns  surfaced. The  Giants  aren't  concerned.

Round four: linebacker, Bryan Kehl, BYU

Bryan Kehl is a fast player who always seems to be around the ball. He has good size at 6'2" 242, is smart...4.0 GPA, and very hardworking. He had a reputation at BYU for spending lots of extra time looking at game film. He can play either weakside or the middle.

Round five:linebacker,Jonathon Goff,Vnderbilt:

Jonathon Goff is an intense player who always gives maximum effort. He has a knack for being around the ball, is excellent at shedding blockers, very intelligent and hardworking. The only real knock is that he is not great in the open field.

Round six:Quarterback, Andre Woodson, Kentucky:

Andre Woodson is a big QB at 6'4" 230 and has very good scrambling ability. He has a  strong, accurate arm  and  nice  touch  on  the  deep  ball. His  negatives  are  a  penchant  to  throw  off  the  wrong  foot  and to sometimes "lock in" on  one  receiver. He has a  lot of up side.

Round six:defensive end, Robert Henderson, USM:

Robert Henderson is a pass rushing end who has talent but is considered a work in progress.

      

Giants draft Mario Manningham in round three!

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With the 31st pick of the third round of the 2008 NFL draft, the New York Giants select wide receiver Mario Manningham from Michigan.

My initial reaction to the pick....NICE! I love it, another talented target for Eli Manningham...(just kidding). This kid has all the talent in the world, he has speed, great hands, he is tough and very elusive...in short, the Giants have added another play  maker.

There are some off the field questions, but I am confident the Giants don't touch players that have significant problems.

This will make for a potentially explosive offense coupled with Burress, Toomer, Smith, Shockey, etc...

What will the Giants do on day two?

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With a very successful day one of the 2008 NFL draft in the books, what will the New York Giants do on day two?

By selecting safety Kenny Phillips and corner back Terrell Tomas, the Giants have dramatically upgraded the speed and  play making ability  in  their  greatest  area  of  need, secondary.

They have now put themselves in a position to draft the most talented players available, regardless of position. While they might like to add depth at linebacker, wide receiver and offensive line, none of these are urgent needs. There are however still some quality players left at these spots, including Dan Connor and Mario Manningham.

Giants fans above all others should know what kind of players can be found on day two, just look at our current roster; Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Kevin Boss, Ahmed Bradshaw, etc.I am every bit as excited to watch today as I was yesterday!

Remember, we have a secret weapon:

Giants take Cornerback Terrill Thomas in round two!

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The New York Giants selected  cornerback Terrill Thomas from USC in round two. For the second straight season, Big Blue has gone to USC in the second round. It worked out well last year with Steve Smith.

Thomas has size at 6'0" and 200lbs. He is a big time hitter who actually could play Safety if needed. He also has excellent speed and coverage skills.

This appears to be another brilliant move by Giants General Manager Jerry Reese.

What exactly this means for Corey Webster is another question. We will find out soon enough.

Check back for rounds 3-7.      

Giants select Safety Kenny Phillips!

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The Super Bowl Champion New York Giants select safety Kenny Phillips from Miami.

I love this pick! Phillips has it all; speed, strength, good hands, a mean streak and good coverage skills. This significantly improves the secondary..can Jerry Reese duplicate last years stunning draft?? Check back.

A look back at the Giants 2007 draft!

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Well Giants fans, draft day is upon us...thank God. As we await the hysteria to begin, I wanted to take a quick look back at the historic Giants draft of 2007. Lets hope this wasn't a rookie fluke for General Manager Jerry Reese, because he did excellent!!

ROUND ONE: He selected  Corner back  Aaron  Ross  from  Texas. Ross  had  some  trouble  early  on  adjusting  to  the pro  game,  but became  our  best  corner  as  the  season  wore  on.

ROUND TWO: Steve Smith, wide receiver from USC. Smith solidified himself as the Giants # three receiver and was clutch during the Super Bowl run.

ROUND THREE: Jay Alford, defensive tackle. Who could forget him body slamming Tom Brady during that last, desperate attempt by the Patriots to win the Super Bowl...by the win, it didn't work.

ROUND FOUR: Linebacker Zak DeOssie. Steve's kid was an exceptional special teams player who provides quality depth at the linebacker spot.

ROUND FIVE: Tight end Kevin Boss. The man who might make it possible for the Giants to trade Jeremy Shockey for multiple draft picks. Boss had the longest play from scrimmage in the Super Bowl...43 yards.

ROUND SEVEN: this round bought us two key players, safety Michael Johnson who saw significant playing time and did very well. Also running back Ahmed Bradshaw who I feel will be a star  in  this  league.

can Jerry Reese possibly duplicate that success this year? Probably not, but if he can get us three  or  four  players  who  contribute, we will be just  fine.

Check with us through out draft day.

Will Shockey be a Giant by Sunday??

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The rumors are flying fast and furious regarding New York Giants controversial tight end Jeremy Shockey. The latest  one  is  that  the  New  Orleans  Saints  have  offered  the  Giants  a two  and  a  five.  However, at the  moment the Giants  and  Jerry  Reese  want  more.

My guess is that Shockey will be a regular partier in the French Quarter this season. I think Reese and the  Giants are playing this one right; hold out for the best possible deal, worst case scenario Shockey comes back. While their are certainly issues with Shockey, they haven't reached the point of no return and you just don't want to give away a pro bowl tight end in his prime.

If the Giants can walk away from this however with a number two and either an established player, or say a third round pick, they will have done very well.

This is not all that far fetched by the way as the word is that Saints coach Sean Peyton is desperate to land Shockey and build his offense around him.

Stay tunes, it will be an interesting day!

Giants draft needs/Quarterback

Well, not really much intrigue here. The New York Giants are set, hopefully, for the next ten years with a Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP Quarterback in Eli Manning.

In his fourth season as a pro, "mv E" showed why Ernie Accorsi and the Giants pulled the trigger on  the blockbuster trade  in 2004 with the San Diego Chargers. While Eli was at times inconsistent and showed a tendency to turn the ball over, he also showed a lot of upside even during his pre Super Bowl run. Don't forget, in each of his first three full seasons as a starter he threw for 20 or more touchdowns and 3000 plus yards, not to mention he had a winning record overall.

Then, we all remember what happened last season starting in the regular season finale against the New England Patriots. Eli Manning became an elite Quarterback right in front of our eyes! I am not making too much of this...think about it, in the post season, Eli out gunned Giant killer Jeff Garcia, Pro Bowler Tony Romo , legendary QB Brett Favre and future hall of famer Tom Brady!

You want more; check this fact out, only two Quarterbacks, in the entire 42 year history of the Super Bowl, have thrown two fourth quarter touchdowns and led their teams down the field for last minute game winning touchdown (not field goal)  drives! The two elite QB's are Joe Montana and our very own Eli Manning.

Do I think that Eli will go through the entire 2008 season playing at the same level he did in the post season? Probably not, nor do I think he will revert back to the sometimes skittish, indecisive, turnover prone Quarterback we saw earlier in his career. I truly believe we will see a very consistent player who has the proven ability to rise to the occasion when the Giants really need him to...and there is nothing wrong with that.

At back up QB, the Giants have the "hefty lefty" or the "pillsbury throw boy" if you prefer, Jared Lorenzen. Who is untested but seems to have some ability. The Giants also picked up former number one draft pick David Carr. I actually think Carr is a decent Quarterback if given a little time. Don't judge him by what you saw from him while playing for the Houston Texans. Nobody can throw the ball well with their ass on the ground.

I would be very suprised if the Giants use a pick, even a late round one, on Quarterback.

Check back often during draft day as we will have up to the minute coverage of all things New York Giants.

   

No hold out for Osi!!

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The Super Champion New York Giants got some great news; Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora will not hold out.

This is obviously excellent news for Giants fans. I will admit to being  very  concerned  when  news  of  Osi's  pending  hold out  was  released.  It  started  to  look  like  just  another  case  of  a  greedy  athlete saying...."I got my ring, now I am in it for  the  big  bucks".

But this was different;  "The Giants are a first-class organization. When it's time to do the right thing, they'll do the right thing," Umenyiora said. "Right now I'm just going to go out and try to earn what they have paid me already."

Osi Umenyiora is also first class. Compare Osi to the Chad Johnson's and Terrill (I need  more  tissues  to cry  into) Owens  of the  NFL  and  think  how  fortunate  the  Giants  are  to  have  him.  This  hopefully  sets  an  example  for the  younger  players  on  the  team.  If you  work  very  hard, put  the  team  first, and excel  on  the  field, your  big  pay  day  will  always  come.

This puts me in a much better mood to watch the draft tomorrow!

NFL Draft news

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In a major trade today with significant draft  implications, the Kansas City Chiefs traded pass rushing Defensive End Jared Allen to the Minnesota Vikings for a first and two third round draft picks.

The move significantly shores up an already impressive front line for the Vikings. That defense is going to be strong this year.

You have to wonder, how much of it was prompted by the Vikings watching the success our Super Bowl Champion New York Giants had this season thanks in large part to an overwhelming defensive line??

Remember, it has always been a copy cat league.

Check back for the latest news.

Knee surgery for David Tyree

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New York Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree will undergo minor knee surgery. He may miss the beginning of training camp. However it is not considered very serious....although, to me, anything involving  the knee is by definition serious, particularly since he plays wide receiver and special teams.

Hopefully things will go well.

Giants draft needs/wide receiver

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The Super Bowl Champs are in pretty good shape at the Wide Receiver position. With Plexico Burress leading the way as an elite big play receiver who commands double coverage, and Amani Toomer as one of the most dependable wideouts in the game, the Giants have no urgency here. The number three spot appears stable as well with the  emergence  of  Steve  Smith last year.

Beyond that, the number four spot is up in the air. Sinorice Moss is very fast and talented, but seems to be able to get injured at will. Return specialist Dominic Hixon will get a look, he has exceptional speed but is untested at the position.  The Giants are in love with speedy Michael Jennings but he has trouble staying on the field as well. Then of course their is new cult hero David Tyree. Tyree became an instant legend with that remarkable "helmet" catch in Super Bowl XLII.

I know a lot of people are clamoring for the Giants to draft a big play, field stretching type  of wide out. Problem is, this years draft  is  pretty thin at the  position.  I feel  there are  other  areas  the  Giants  will  want  to  address( safety  for  instance).  The  only  way  I  see  Jerry  Reese  using a first or second round pick here is if the top players at safety are gone and if a Mario Manningham or some other top receiver are still out there.

Check back again as we look at the Quarterback position. Also, check back often on draft day for any breaking news.

    

Draft News

It has just been announced that the Miami Dolphins have just agreed to terms with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long thus making him the number 1 pick of the 2008 NFL draft. The rumors may still be true that Bill Parcels is interested in obtaining Jeremy Shockey from the Giants for a second round draft pick.

Stay tuned to the Big Blue Blog for any updates and all of your New York Giants draft news.

Giants draft needs/Tight End

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The New York Giants...sorry, Super Bowl Champion New York Giants have some interesting decisions to make at the Tight End position. We are all very well aware by now that the Giants went on an incredible Championship run last season with out Jeremy Shockey. Rookie Kevin Boss stepped in and played a key role in the post season. After winning the title, questions started looming about whether the Giants were actually better off with out Shockey.

The theory is that Shockey was a distraction particularly to Eli Manning....showing him up after a bad pass...bitching at him in the huddle when he doesn't get the ball, etc. While that was certainly an issue, I think the real reason why Jeremy Shockey has played his last down for Big Blue( and yes, I do believe he is a goner) has more to do with his undisciplined route running. Ron Jaworski did a segment for ESPN during the Playoffs where he watched all 20 regular season picks thrown by Eli. Jaworski put the blame for seven of those on Jeremy Shockey. Too many times, especially on "hot reads" Shockey isn't where he needs to be.

Another reason I think Jerry Reese will ultimately pull the trigger on a deal (probably with the New Orleans Saints for a second round pick), is health. I love Jeremy Shockey as a player. He has guts....almost too much, a little fear of injury might not be a bad thing. I think back to the Playoff loss two years ago in Philly when Shockey lost his helmet and still tried to fight for more yards. While you have to respect the hell out of that, he is a devastating injury waiting to happen.

I think the Giants brain trust has enough confidence in Kevin Boss and Michael Matthews to make the deal.

I could easily see the Giants drafting a Tight End if Shockey does in fact get traded, but I don't think it would be an early round pick as they have more pressing needs.

Check back again as we will look next at the Wide Receiver position.

Also, check back often on draft day as we will have all the latest New Giants  draft news and rumors.

New York Giants 2008 schedule released!!

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Okay, so the entire NFL schedule was released today....but around here we only care about the Defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants schedule!

While the perceived difficulty of the schedule always changes due to injury, personnel moves, teams playing well or not, it is still fun to look ahead. The first six weeks appear not to be extremely difficult, but the last ten appear tough. This includes 4 of the final 6 on the road..although, the Giants seem to like the road, don't they?

I can't wait for the G-Men to get it going in 2008. The schedule is below. Also, check back tomorrow as we look again at the Giants draft needs. Go Big Blue!

Thursday, 9/4	7:00 PM ET	NBC	Washington
Sunday, 9/14	1:00 PM ET	FOX	@ St. Louis
Sunday, 9/21	1:00 PM ET	CBS	Cincinnati
Sunday, 9/28	BYE	BYE	BYE	BYE
Sunday, 10/5	1:00 PM ET	FOX	Seattle
Monday, 10/13	8:30 PM ET	ESPN	@ Cleveland
Sunday, 10/19	1:00 PM ET	FOX	San Francisco
Sunday, 10/26	4:15 PM ET	FOX	@ Pittsburgh
Sunday, 11/2	4:15 PM ET	FOX	Dallas
Sunday, 11/9	8:15 PM ET	NBC	@ Philadelphia
Sunday, 11/16	1:00 PM ET*	CBS	Baltimore
Sunday, 11/23	4:15 PM ET*	FOX	@ Arizona
Sunday, 11/30	1:00 PM ET*	FOX	@ Washington
Sunday, 12/7	1:00 PM ET*	FOX	Philadelphia
Sunday, 12/14	8:15 PM ET*	NBC	@ Dallas
Sunday, 12/21	1:00 PM ET*	FOX	Carolina
Sunday, 12/28	1:00 PM ET*	FOX	@Minnesota

Giants draft needs/Running Back/Full Back

Not really much of a need here.  The  Super  Bowl  Champion  New  York  Giants  were  4th  in  the  NFL  in  Rushing  in  2007.  Big bad  Brandon  Jacobs  had  over  1000  yards  despite  missing  five  games  (and  a  large  part  of  another). His bruising style wore down and intimidated defenders. Football Players are tough  but try tackling a 6'4"  266 lb dude with attitude and see how  you like it. Derrick Ward was outstanding early on prior to suffering a season ending injury. He showed good speed, elusiveness and was a factor out of the backfield on  passing situations. Rueben Droughns provides quality depth, veteran leadership and toughness. Fullback Madison (wall st) Hedgecock may have been the  Giants biggest steal of the year after Tennessee was foolish enough to put him on waivers. He is a tenacious blocker who opened holes for the Giants backs repeatedly.

I haven't forgotten about Rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (no relation to Terry so far as we can tell). The 7th round pick out of Marshall was in the dog house much of the season. His big break came in the must win Buffalo game in week sixteen (if you recall Big Blue had to win to clinch a Playoff spot, or else beat New England in week seventeen to get in...and we all know the New York Giants can't possibly beat the New England Patriots!). Bradshaw came through big! He had the longest run of the season from scrimmage, 85 yards. Ahmad was a huge key in the Giants post season run. With his speed, agility and toughness, I look for the second year back to have a break out season in 2008. I think Ahmad will become the Giants primary back by season's end. He has as much skill as that retired back from the Today Show...can't remember his name right now.          

Bottom line...unless something very unexpected happens, I can't see Jerry Reese using a pick at such an  already  deep position.

Check back as we next  look at the Tight End position.

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Giants draft needs/Offensive Line

One of the many reasons for the Super Bowl Champions success last season clearly was their O-Line. Not only did they do a very nice job of keeping "MV-E" on his feet and giving him ample time to throw the ball, they were also excellent against the run. The G-Men finished fourth overall in rushing and seemed to run for over 100 yards every week. Even more impressive was the fact that they did this with four different backs. Thanks to the line blocking (and the great blocking by Fullback Madison Hedgecock...still sounds like he should have a job on Wall St.), it didn't matter who carried the ball.

One of the strengths of the unit is their stability. Diehl, Seubert, O'Hara, Snee and MaCkenzie have been together  now  for three  seasons. 

However,  depth  could  be  an  issue. They currently carry only two Centers; Sean O'Hara and Grey Rugamer( who did an outstanding job filling in during the Playoff win in Tampa). Problem is, they have both been around for a while..(9 seasons for O'Hara, 10 for Rugamer). This will need to be addressed soon, if not this year then certainly next.

Depth at Tackle is also a concern, behind David Diehl and Kareem MaCkenzie, we have no proven NFL talent. Third year tackle Guy Whimper might be the answer, but is largely untested. This must be addressed.

The same issue exists at Guard. Behind Chris Snee and Rich Seubert what else is there in terms of proven talent?

As currently constructed,the Giants chances of repeating as Champs count on the line staying healthy. My fear is that one or two key injuries up front will make us a VERY different team (I know, that's usually the case), but with a franchise QB and very talented backs, depth must be addr essed. My guess is Reese will draft at O-Line by no later then round three.

Please check back as we look next at Running Back.

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