Barens

Might be wishful thinking, but if Jackson is the first WR taken in the draft, would there be any chance of Santonio Holmes falling to the #25 spot. Good article though. http://nfldraft.scout.com/2/503259.html The New Action Jackson By TFY Draft Preview Date: Feb 27, 2006 It was at this time last year that Florida based agent David Canter brought wide receiver Troy Williamson to work out at the NFL Combine. In early 2005, the committee that puts a grade on where underclassmen should be selected in the draft gave Williamson a second-round grade. Even so, Canter encouraged Williamson to leave the University of South Carolina early. Williamson not only showed up at the Combine ready to go, he ran faster than anyone could have expected...a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash and the rest is history. Williamson wound up being selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the seventh pick overall in the first round. Which brings us to another receiver, University of Florida's Chad Jackson. What's interesting in his case was Jackson declared for the draft even before the committee sent him the letter which would give him the grade....a fourth-round pick. When Canter spoke to various teams in the league, he didn't exactly get ringing endorsement of his client. "They actually said, 'you mean the (Dallas) Baker kid'." Still, that didn't deter Jackson or Canter and Jackson has continued to train for the Combine. Whether it was Jackson's trainer who Canter said felt Jackson is "TO (Terrell Owens) with speed" or just a great belief that Jackson was a great talent, Canter felt Jackson was ready for the next level of competition. And much like with Williamson last year, the opportunity was there for the taking. Other than Ohio State wide receiver Santonio Holmes, many around the league felt before the Combine that he was the only sure-fire first round pick at the position. That was then, this is now. Jackson caused a major stir inside the media room at the Combine on Sunday when he ran an official time of 4.32 which is coincidentally the same time Williamson ran last year. What's interesting is Jackson actually slipped a little on his best run of the two according to Canter. Canter confirmed that Jackson only dropped one ball in pass catch drills and he anticipates Jackson won't run at his pro day next month. Canter is so confident that Jackson's 40-time was so good that he's moved in to the upper half of the draft. "He won't be there when the Miami Dolphins pick (No.16 overall)." If Canter's right, Jackson will be his second straight mover up draft boards at the wide receiver position.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2344557 Giants release LB Green after two lackluster yearsBy Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com Six-year veteran Barrett Green, who at one time was believed to be a key component in the rebuilding of the New York Giants' linebackers corps, was released Saturday after two disappointing seasons. Green The move was not unexpected, as Green appeared in only 11 games with the Giants because of knee injuries, and because the former Detroit Lions starter had fallen out of favor with head coach Tom Coughlin and his staff. In terminating Green's contract, which makes him a free agent, the Giants will save approximately $1.1 million in 2006 salary cap charges. Green was scheduled to have a base salary of $2.475 million for 2006. Green, 28, was signed by the Giants as an unrestricted free agent in 2004, netting a five-year deal worth $13.75 million. The Giants also signed outside linebacker Carlos Emmons that same spring, and the two were projected as being starters in a refashioned defensive backline. But the versatile Green, who has played both the strongside and weakside spots during his career, suffered through a series of knee problems. He appeared in just 10 games in 2004 and played in only one contest in 2005, when he often feuded with Coughlin. He was one of several linebackers whose injuries in '05 forced the Giants to scramble for available bodies late in the season. It is expected that New York will address its linebacker needs in the draft and could also make a move in the free agent market to strength the position with a veteran presence. The team will try to rebuild the position around standout middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, who missed the final month of the season with an injury. A onetime West Virginia University star, Green will have to demonstrate to potential suitors that he is recovered from the injuries that have stalled his career. If he is healthy, Green certainly is a starting caliber linebacker. In six seasons, Green has appeared in 65 games and has 283 tackles, five sacks and 13 passes defensed. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Lions, who chose him in the second round in 2000. The Giants also announced the retirement of safety Brent Alexander and released eight-year veteran offensive lineman Jason Whittle, who played in 14 games as a backup last season. Whittle, 30, began his career with the Giants in 1998, signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in 2003, then was reacquired by the Giants in a 2004 trade. He has appeared in 109 games, with 40 starts, in his career. Alexander, a starter last season, led the Giants with four interceptions and finished seventh on the team with 61 tackles. He came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 1994 with the Arizona Cardinals and also played with Carolina and Pittsburgh before signing with the Giants as a free agent in 2004. Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

And I'm not taking anything away from Jackson, but they are just different breeds. Jackson may have had a couple of college games where he was the better player on the field, but Merriman certainly had the better year. Either way, they are much different breeds, and IMO, Merriman's physicality is what ultimitely separates them as NFL prospects. I happen to like Jackson more than Ryans, and I would hope that if both players were available at #25, that we take Jackson.

Alright, Jackson may end up being a solid pick, but your getting a little out of hand here. The best player on the Maryland defense in 2004? For the sake of argument, if Jackson were in the 2004 draft, I think it's fair to say he wouldn't get drafted before Vilma, Williams, and Dansby. Kind of a silly comparison. As far as this year, I like Jackson, but I also think Carpenter and Hodge are solid players who would contribute sooner rather than later. I'm also a fan of Keith Ellison(Oregon State) and Omar Gaither(Tennessee) as late first day picks or early second day picks.

Some picks I really like, and others I'm not so crazy about. The only glimpse I've seen of Thomas Haward was during the Senior Bowl, and I just don't know if I'm comfortable spending our first round pick on him. If we pick a LB early on, I'd think the Giants would want someone who's not so rough around the edges. Greg Blue, I just get the feeling he might not even go on the first day, or possibly not even at all, a la James Butler. I just don't see a lot of instinct in his overall game, and there will be plenty of safeties to go before him. I like Cooper Wallace and Kyle Williams, they would make solid late round picks IMO. Jonathon Joseph, I haven't ever seen him play.

I think Law started out the season slow and he made quite a few mental errors, but as the season went on, he got stronger and played better. Can't expect much more of a player coming off a serious injury. Unfortunetely, the Jets didn't follow the same plan.

I think I just have more confidence in Whitfield than you at this point. To me, he's certainly more than adequate as a backup. I think if we draft an OT this year, then we might not have room for Whitfield, and that can be a debatable proposition. I don't think cutting Petitgout is going to happen this year, and I don't think the team would carry more than 4 OT's on the team(if we're including Deihl). Whitfield struggled at times coming in for Petitgout, but other times, he nuetralized some of the younger DE's in the league like Jarrod Allen and Trent Cole. New England went that route last year, and when they lost Matt Light for most of the season, they certainly suffered a blow starting a rookie at left tackle. Although they could be better off because of it this year, it's a tough situation to be in, especially with Luke Petitgout. Bottom line for me, either way we go, I'd be fine with. It's a tough decision, and I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make it.

It's really going to depend on how they do in free agency. If the Giants are able to sign a few players on the defensive side of the ball, then I could see an offensive tackle in the plans for the draft. But right now, I would like to see us get younger and faster on defense, and maybe even using all of our first day picks on the defensive side of the ball. I don't see OT as a priority, especially with the McKenzie signing last year. We're certainly better off on the offensive line than we've been in about 15 years IMO.

Ok, I'll be the first...if I wanted a novel, I'd dig up some of my old school books. Just kidding, good work.

The ball was thrown very well, I agree. He just couldn't come up with the big play. But to me, it wasn't the easiest pass to catch. Either way, it was considered a dropped ball, which once again, has plagued most of our WR and TE corp all of last season. I just think that signing Carter, if we can at a reasonable price, for a year, is a low risk, high reward move.

That long ball did not hit him in the bread basket. If he had caught it, it would have been a spectacular catch. Believe it or not, seeing it on TV is just as effective, if not more, than seeing it live. Either way, I thought it was a tough catch, and like I mentioned earlier, he's not the only Giants receiver to drop a few passes last year, but at least Carter stretches the field. And as of right now, we don't have anyone who runs the end-around as effectively as Carter.

I think he dropped 2, but he also caught 2 for 48 yards. We also wouldn't have scored without 2 of those receptions. And that long ball didn't hit right in the numbers, he dove for it, almost making a spectacular catch, and couldn't come up with it. That's the way it goes.

That game was odd because the TD the refs gave Shockey in the first half I thought for sure was an incompletion. But near the end of the game, the catch Shockey made that was reviewed and ended up being an incomplete pass(I believe it was in overtime), should have been a catch IMO. But that's the way it goes. I think people really got on Tim Carter after, I think it was the Dallas home game. Eli threw one way down the field for Carter, and he just missed making a spectacular grab. And because he couldn't pull it off, I think many Giant fans put him deeper in their dog house because of it.

Sometimes, Plax and Shockey can't catch the ball either, and they're starting. You asked how, and I thought I gave a good explanation. He might come pretty cheap, and if we can sign him to a 1 year deal, it could be beneficial to Carter and the Giants. Plenty of motivation for Carter, and the Giants bringing him back to compete either for a starting spot, or the #3 spot, would be a motivating factor for our WR's.

Carter only had 10 catches, but 9 out of 10 of those catches went for first downs. Plus, hasn't anyone noticed that Carter is the only player we've had success running the end-around with? He may have dropped a couple of balls last year, but who hasn't? And granted, his first 3 years in the league, he had trouble staying on the field, but last year, he played in 15 games before taking a vicious hit from Ryan Clark against Washington, which pretty much ended his season. The point is, even though his statistics don't show it, his speed is a valuable commodity to this offense.

Anyone get the feeling if we lose Tim Carter, he's going to have a breakout year somewhere else?