Barens

I gotta disagree with you here. Right now, the teams greatest needs are at LB and DT, although I don't see why we need 2. I don't see how you can list WR as a greater need than CB. If anything, we have a ton of depth at both positions, only the talent at the WR position is much stronger than at cornerback. We've also got at least 4 players who can play the safety position, so I wouldn't constitute that as a major need either.

I'll tell you what, I think Kudla would be a brilliant pick, although he won't make it to the 6th round, let alone to us in the 6th round. But if he's around in the 4th, he'd be a great pick. He's the type of player who can probably play DE or DT with his strength, and he'd be great depth in case one of our DE's get hurt, and with Strahan getting up there in age, he's be a great backup behind Tuck and Osi for a few years.

I'm starting to think that Ryans is the favorite to be our pick. With either or both Greenway or Simms gone, we all know how Accorsie like character guys for the most part, and Ryans fits the bill. Lewis I think might be a reach for us for a couple of reasons...he's not the biggest of DT's, and he got hurt the week of the Senior Bowl, and not being able to compete in that environment in front of scouts and coaches hurt his stock. I'm going to go out on a limb and say there is no way we draft Dee Webb. His attitude and off-the field troubles should steer the Giants, and other teams, clear of Webb. I like Orr, I don't know if he'll last that long, but he'd be a great 4th round pick. Johnson won't fall to the 6th round, IMO, and I wouldn't be dissapointed if we selected him earlier.

And I thought it was sarcasm.

So, your calling almost 9 yards an attempt unsuccessful?

Carter has been used to stretch the field, mostly unsuccessful. However, Carter has come up with some big catches, and I would hardly call the end-arounds intended for Carter unsuccessful.

That was an ugly play. I thought the handoff was OK, and there was a lane, but it closed quickly and he got leveled and fumbled the ball away. Either way, who would everyone here rather have, Nate Burleson for 7 years and $49 million, or Tim Carter for 2 years and $2 million plus overall? What exactly is Seattle thinking?

Well, he ran for an average of 7.7 yards per carry on those end-arounds, and that's better than the great Antwaan Randle El, and it's much better than any other receiver on our roster can accomplish.

Great move...I was hoping they would re-sign Carter. He may have only caught 10 balls last year, but 9 of those balls went for first downs, and is there anyone else on the team who runs the end-around any better? He dropped a couple balls last year, but who didn't? Carter was also a big reason why we beat Dallas at home last year.

You pretty much yelled it.

Maybe, maybe not. Anyone who remembers George Young will remember how much he coveted those offensive linemen, especially with the state of flux our offensive line had been in.

http://giants.scout.com/2/512378.html Inside Slant, Notes, Quotes, Personnel, Etc. By Site Staff Giants Insider Date: Mar 23, 2006 Safety Shaun Williams became the Giants' third first-round draft choice in a year to depart, all three having been either flat-out released or allowed to dangle in free agency without an offer. Cornerback Will Allen (2001) became the fourth when he officially signed with Miami on Monday. Previously, running back Ron Dayne (2000) was released, simply discarded when his contract expired. He was picked up for nothing by Denver, played reasonably well last season and just a few weeks ago was re-signed by the Broncos. Williams, the team's first-round pick in 1998 (the 24th overall selection), was allowed to wander off into the sunset when his contract expired. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers, whose coach, John Fox, worked with him for four years until he left for Charlotte. They are reunited now, though perhaps not for long. Williams has had a series of injuries - knee, hamstring - that kept him out of 28 games over the past three seasons (six in 2003, 14 in 2004 and eight last season). The drafting of Williams always represented a sort of watershed moment for Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi. It was his first year "in charge," having replaced the late George Young, and the value board constructed by Young and his scouts was still in place. "I knew we needed an offensive lineman in the first round," Accorsi recalled, "but I was still in awe of the work George had done, and Williams was slightly ahead of the next available offensive lineman on our rating scale." That lineman turned out to be guard Alan Faneca of LSU, snapped up in the very next selection by the Steelers. He has been an almost annual Pro Bowl player while Williams never reached anything close to that level. NOTES, QUOTES --Among the Giants' signings of free-agent defensive backs were two who entered the league as second-round draft picks. They are Sam Madison (by Miami in 1997 from Louisville) and Will Demps (by Baltimore in 2002). Both are assumed to be instant starters. --The Giants will now turn their attention to one more free-agent signing, that of Washington outside linebacker LaVar Arrington. He has interviewed with the team and his agents has begun negotiations, but one of his agents, Carl Poston, was recently suspended for two years for behavior unbecoming an agent by the NFL Players Association. That might cause Arrington to drop the Poston and his brother, Kevin, as agents. The problem with the Arrington deal is the amount of money involved. He wants a $10 million signing bonus and the Giants are not prepared to do that. Arrington has threatened to use interest from Miami and Cleveland to get the Giants to move, but they have refused thus far. --One of the interesting behind-the-scenes activities in the Arrington adventure is that he has been heavily recruited by Giants' MLB Antonio Pierce, who played with him in Washington until signing with the Giants last season. The two are said to be close friends. QUOTE TO NOTE: "Who can say they don't want to play football in New York? It's a prestigious organization and a great area that brings so much to the table for a football player." - New Giants safety Will Demps. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL -- CB Will Allen signed a four-year, $12 million deal with Miami after spending his first five seasons with the Giants. TEAM NEEDS 1. Outside linebacker: This could change if the Giants sign LaVar Arrington, late of the Washington Redskins. They need someone who can start on the weak side, since it begins to look more and more like they'll lose Nick Greisen to free agency. He has an interest in the Green Bay Packers and a few other teams, and has told the Giants he'd like to return, but he must be paid as a starter (acceptable, since he became one) and he wants to play inside (which is not acceptable, since in their 4-3 alignment Antonio Pierce is the MLB). 2. Running back: What happens if an injury grounds superstar Tiki Barber? The Giants don't seem to be considering that nightmare, but behind the doors, they are trying to decide whether a first-round pick should be spent on a running back. Chances are they won't since they draft 25th and it isn't a particularly deep year for the position. 3. Tackle: There are still persistent rumors that the Giants plan to terminate the contract of LT Luke Petitgout, who is scheduled to earn almost $6 million in base salary this season. If they do that, a young tackle is a mandatory addition, perhaps in the draft's first round and if not, definitely in the second. FRANCHISE PLAYER: None. TRANSITION PLAYER: None. UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: CB Terrell Buckley; WR Tim Carter; RB Michael Cloud; LB Jay Foreman; LB Nick Greisen; LB Roman Phifer. UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers): WR Lamont Brightful. RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DT Kenderick Allen; WR/KR Willie Ponder; TE Visanthe Shiancoe; WR David Tyree; CB Frank Walker. PLAYERS RE-SIGNED: QB Tim Hasselbeck; OG Lewis Kelly; RB/KR Chad Morton; OT Bob Whitfield. PLAYERS ACQUIRED: CB Jason Bell; S Will Demps; S Quentin Harris; CB Sam Madison; CB R.W. McQuarters. PLAYERS LOST: S Brent Alexander; CB Will Allen; DT Kendrick Clancy; LB Barrett Green; OG Jason Whittle; S Shaun Williams.

Ease up on the modesty, you can give yourself some credit. Actually, I gotta give Gateb some credit for last year, giving up almost all of his draft picks to move into my #9 spot, to draft Shawn Merrimen. Ended up being a brilliant move on his part, and a not so great move on my part.

I'm in.

IMO, Hagan is a highly overrated prospect, and I'm hopeful the Giants stay away from him, especially in the 2nd round. He drops a lot of passes, and I'd be much more in favor of just re-signing Tim Carter. At least we'd have some speed. If the Giants go for WR in the second round, I'd like to see them take a shot on either Maurice Stovell, Demetrious Williams , or even Jonathon Orr. I'm also a fan of Brandon Williams if he's still on the board on the 2nd day.

Gateb, when your looking at matchups, shouldn't you be looking more along the lines of Eli Manning vs. the Philly defense, and so on and so forth? If your comparing players and positions, then I agree with maybe most of what you said. Our LB's are not better than Dallas' linebacking crew, no matter how you look at it. And as far as defensive lines go, I'd say that they're defensive line is better than ours only because they are deeper and more stout. I do think we have a better offensive line than they do at the moment, especially considering how banged up their OL is.

One thing Bledsoe does not have, is a dead arm. He has very little athletic ability and a slow release, but he's still got a cannon. Mark Brunell has got a dead arm.

http://nfldraft.scout.com/2/509780.html Pro Day 3-16: Stanford, Florida St., Penn St. By TFY Draft Preview Date: Mar 17, 2006 It was a big Pro-day on the schedule as NFL scouts, head coaches and general managers were spread out between the states of Pennsylvania, Florida and as far west as Palo Alto. Here's the first update of the evening. Stanford - Mike Eubanks On Wednesday, wet conditions touched the Cardinal in a tangible fashion. Stanford held its annual "Pro Day" Wednesday morning, with a gathering of NFL scouts from across the country on hand to measure, test, time and work out Cardinal seniors in the weight room and on the football field. Some of the teams in attendance included the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. Nearly the entire League was represented, with approximately 24 teams on The Farm. They had a good number of prospects to evaluate on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, the grass at Stanford's practice field was wet with drizzling rain. The starts were difficult for all who ran the 40, leaving a lot of seniors shaking their heads in frustration. The good news, at least in part, is that some scouts will return on March 30 to give a second opportunity for Stanford seniors to run and record times. Wide receiver Justin McCullum will aim to run better than the high 4.5s, while outside linebacker Timi Wusu will seek to prove he is faster than a 4.6. Inside linebacker Kevin Schimmelmann had been running in the mid-4.5s but slipped his way to the high 4.6s on this wet day. Two speedsters who managed to shine through the dark clouds and light rain were wide receiver Gerren Crochet and cornerback/kick returner T.J. Rushing. The former was timed between 4.37 and 4.41 in the 40 while also jumping 42 inches in the vertical. He also had a solid day catching the ball and running routes. Rushing had the fastest time on the field, with a 4.34. That number may blow you away by itself, but considering the wet conditions, it struck the scouts like a thunderbolt. The Bears scout was heard to say that he considered the time a 4.19 in dry conditions. Rushing also delivered an impressive 40-inch vertical while putting up 20 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press. An explosive athlete who is often discounted because of his size, Rushing put himself on the 2006 NFL Draft map with this day. A couple of linebackers you would expect to put forth jaw-dropping times in a testing environment did not. Michael Craven, in a scene too reminiscent of his sad story at Stanford, pulled his hamstring while running his first 40 of the day. On the other end of the fortune spectrum, Jon Alston elected not to be tested after he already etched his reputation in stone at the NFL Combine three weeks ago in Indianapolis (Ind.). Alston there ran the fastest 40 among all linebackers with a 4.40, while also topping the broad jump at 11 feet. The interesting note on Alston is that his speed has scouts so impressed that he is getting looks from half the League at safety, in addition to half who like him at linebacker. At yesterday's Pro Day, he ran safety drills for a number of teams, taking drops and catching the ball. He looked every bit the part of a safety in both his hands and how he moved. We note that the Chiefs worked out Alston a little extra at the end of the event. The red-hot linebacker/safety prospect has already had an individual workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he has visits upcoming from the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams. Defensive end Julian Jenkins continues to look like a first-day prospect, running a 4.85 in the 40 despite the wet grass. Defensive line mate and nose tackle prospect Babatunde Oshinowo did not run the 40 in these conditions, from what we saw and heard. Florida State - Brandon Mellor Over 25 Florida State players utilized the day's happenings to showcase their individual skills to a plethora of NFL personnel including New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel and New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin, two standout defenders had the entire crowd buzzing. Antonio Cromartie and Ernie Sims used to the spotlight to steal the show, and, in doing so, answered whatever questions remained about their respective games. Sims, who elected to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, has had to deal with questions about his size and coverage skills. Wowing scouts with his 4.47 40-yard dash and stellar performance in the position drills, the Tallahassee native did his part in answering those inquiries. "I think I did pretty well," said Sims, who currently weighs 234 pounds and is hoping to be 240 upon entering the league. "I showed (the scouts) that I can move pretty well in coverage and everything. I think I showed that I can catch the ball. I came here today telling myself that I wasn't going to drop any balls and I did that." While Sims had a junior season to display the skills necessary to warrant what is expected to be a top-15 to possible top-10 pick in this April's draft, Cromartie didn't have that luxury missing the entire 2005 campaign while rehabbing a knee. Despite over a year without any actual in-game experience, NFL scouts have been drooling over the 6-foot-2 speedster based on his tremendous upside and some mock drafts have him being selected in the late first round. Thursday, Cromartie may have solidified that lofty projection with a time of roughly 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical jump, an excellent showing in punt return drills and an even better showing in defensive back drills. "I think I did pretty good out there but obviously I want to always do better," Cromartie said. "We will just have to see what all this does for me on draft day. I am pretty confident though." In addition to the two afore mentioned players, defensive linemen Brodrick Bunkley, who is expected to be one of, if not the first, defensive tackle taken in the draft, and Kamerion Wimbley impressed scouts. Wimbley, a standout defensive end for the 'Noles for four years, pulled double-duty Thursday working out with the defensive linemen and the linebackers. "I am hearing about half and half," Wimbley said about what position he is projected at in the NFL. "I am hearing d-line some and outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. I don't mind playing either one. I am fine at either one." With as many as four former Seminoles staring down an actual opportunity to be selected in the first round of the draft, many others like Leon Washington and A.J. Nicholson spent the day trying to raise their stock in the draft's mid-rounds. Others spent the day simply looking for a chance. Former Seminole wide receiver Chauncey Stovall, who last played for the Tribe in 2004, used the event to display his desire for a free agent opportunity. Recent graduates like fullbacks James Coleman and B.J. Dean and tight ends Matt Henshaw and Donnie Carter also gave strong performances in their bid towards possible late selections. "I understand that I am not going to be picked in the draft's top four rounds but I am still working my butt off," Coleman said. "All I need is a foot in the door and I will do whatever I have to do once I am there." Now that Pro Day is complete, many NFL-hopeful former Seminoles will continue to work out in preparation for the pro-ranks. For some of the lucky ones, trips to meet with certain teams and tour the given facilities are on the horizon as well. The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 29-30. "I am real excited about this opportunity," Sims said. "It's a dream come true." Penn State-FOS Staff Pro Scouts were on the Penn State campus Thursday for -- you guessed it -- Pro Day. And while the featured attractions were the high-profile Nittany Lions who are slam dunks to be drafted, walk-on receiver Ethan Kilmer wound up stealing the show. Kilmer and 17 of his 2005 senior teammates tested in the Lasch Building and at Holuba Hall. Also on hand was former Penn Stater Lavon Chisley, who was suspended from the team for his senior season in ’05. It seemed as if every NFL team was represented, as were scouts from the CFL and Arena League. Well-known faces in the crowd included Matt Millen, Herman Edwards, Carl Petersen, Jerry Angelo, Bill Cowher. The parking lot was packed with high-end vehicles of every shape and size. Several former Lions stopped by to see what was cooking, too, including current NFL players Robbie Gould, who is living at home in Lock Haven and training at PSU, and Rich Gardner. What did everyone see? Well, a source for Scout.com was on hand for the morning session, which included measurements and the bench press for 18 players (quarterback Michael Robinson delayed lifting until after throwing later in the day). No big shockers on the measurements, other than defensive end Tamba Hali coming in 263 pounds, about 12 pounds lighter than he was at the NFL Combine. The longest arms belonged to another D-end, Chisley (35-3/8) and the biggest hands to Hali (10-7/8). In the bench, Kilmer began to get noticed when he uncorked 19 reps of 225, a terrific number for a wideout. By comparison, defensive end Matthew Rice did 19 and Hali did 18. Offensive linemen Tyler Reed (29), Charles Rush (28) and Lance Antolick (27) did the most. The afternoon session was closed to all media. But FOS has learned that Kilmer once again stole the show, uncorking a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump. Once scout pulled Kilmer aside to talk after his performance in the bench press. By the time he was finished in the afternoon, Kilmer was the talk of the event. Said a source close to the program: "Three scouts were huddled up comparing notes and one said, ‘Seriously, this guy was a walk-on?' -- he really impressed a lot of people." Kilmer had a key touchdown catch in the Orange Bowl win over Florida State and finished the 2005 season with 15 grabs for 236 yards and three scores. He was also a special-teams cover ace, making 23 tackles. Meanwhile, Robinson ran a 4.5 40-yard dash on what was considered a fast track. We are working on securing 40 times for the other Lions involved. BENCH PRESS NUMBERS: NAME BENCH Lavon Chisley 19 Tamba Hali 18 Chris Harrell 16 Calvin Lowry 16 Scott Paxson 21 Anwar Phillips 10 Tyler Reed 29 Matthew Rice 19 Andrew Richardson 14 Michael Robinson DNP* Charles Rush 28 E.Z. Smith 18 Isaac Smolko 21 John Wilson 15 Alan Zemaitis 10 *Did this drill later in the day, after throwing for scouts. Scout.com was not on hand for his bench press or measurements. MEASUREMENTS NAME HT WT ARM HAND Lance Antolick 6-03-1 299 32-1/8 9-1/2 Dorian Burton 5-11-05 218 31-3/8 9-1/4 Lavon Chisley 6-05-03 257 35-3/8 10-3/8 Paul Cronin 6-01-04 214 31-1/2 9-1/2 Tamba Hali 6-02-05 263 33-5/8 10-7/8 Chris Harrell 6-00-03 208 32-1/4 9-3/8 Calvin Lowry 5-11-00 197 31-3/8 9-1/2 Scott Paxson 6-04-03 292 31-1/8 9 Anwar Phillips 5-11-03 190 32-1/2 8-1/4 Tyler Reed 6-04-04 315 31-7/8 9-1/8 Matthew Rice 6-04-01 270 34-5/8 9-7/8 Andrew Richardson 6-05-02 300 32-5/8 9-3/8 Charles Rush 6-02-01 302 33-3/4 9-1/2 E.Z. Smith 6-01-05 283 31-1/8 9-5/8 Isaac Smolko 6-04-03 246 32-3/8 10-3/4 John Wilson 6-06-03 321 34-3/8 9-1/2 Alan Zemaitis 6-01-02 196 31-1/2 9-1/4

http://cowboys.scout.com/2/509649.html UPDATE: Owens Agrees to Terms? By Roy Philpott TheRanchReport.com Date: Mar 16, 2006 TheRanchReport.com brings you the latest information surrounding unrestricted free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens. Updating a previous report earlier Thursday, TheRanchReport.com has learned that the Dallas Cowboys will announce the signing of Terrell Owens, possibly as soon as early next week. Sources close to the Cowboys indicated late Thursday evening that a deal has been reached between Dallas and Owens, however a contract has not yet been signed. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Barring an unexpected change of events, Owens will arrive in Dallas the subject of much controversy. On the field, he has proven to be one of the most effective wide receivers in the National Football League. Off the field, he has created a firestorm in the locker room of the only two teams he's played for in the NFL- Philadelphia and San Francisco. How he will fit in with the Cowboys remains to be seen, but he has already received the public support of QB Drew Bledsoe, who was quoted earlier this week as saying he would be open to the idea of Owens playing in Dallas. In addition, Dallas has already released its No. 1 receiver from last year's team, Keyshawn Johnson, earlier this week. At the time, the move led many to speculate that Owens was on his way to Dallas. Indeed, that now appears to be the case. The Cowboys are expected to announce the deal after owner Jerry Jones returns from St. Barts, where he has been vacationing with his family this week. For his career, Owens has caught 716 passes for 10,535 yards and 101 touchdowns. Last year with the Eagles, Owens caught 47 passes for 763 and six touchdowns in just seven games.

That's a shame. Seattle got a good deal.

Maybe you should sit the next couple of plays out.

Apparently, Denver likes what they see in Warren, and considering they were the 2nd ranked rush defense in the league last year, maybe they have a good reason to give him that money. Not to mention being the 3rd pick in the 2001 draft doesn't hurt his status. Either way, even though Bernard will be looking for that type of money, doesn't necessarily mean he'll get it. And all of our DT's haven't exactly proven to be all that capable. The last 2 years are enough to suggest that Arrington has lost his pro bowl ability. The fact of the matter is, we just don't know.

Bernard had 1 very good year, and he was part of a defense that was ranked 5th against the run. He was a 5th round pick who's been fighting his way into the starting lineup, and has taken advantage of his opportunities. I certainly think he deserves more money than Fred Robbins.

I never said I wanted to invest $40 million on Bernard, nor do I think any other team will give him that kind of cash. But you can't tell me you would be more comfortable with a guy who may never have that pro bowl ability again. I'm certainly not too comfortable taking a risk on paying Arrington $40 million plus.