BleedinBlue

That sucks. Any time frame for recovery and back to work?

What do you want to bet that Randle and Murphy get a lot of playing time this season? The Giants could give them a ton of playing time marginalizing Nicks and Cruz's touches and taking away their big numbers. Nicks and Cruz would be in a lot better shape to hold the Giants hostage if the Giants didn't have Randle and Murphy waiting in the wings for their shot. If Cruz had a brain in his head, he'd take whatever offer the Giants gave him. He's a celebrity in NYC where he will make more money off-field than on the field. Once he lands in St. Louis or Jacksonville or wherever...he'll just be another WR with a shitty QB and the limelight of NY will be long gone. Cruz is a fool if he leaves the Giants.

True...but anyone who works for Coughlin knows the word "optional" is bogus if you want to stay on TC's good side. It's like, you can show up late for a meeting - but do you really want to go there with TC watching what decisions you make about being a team player? Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports is claiming it's "about the money". Hopefully he's dead wrong. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--wr-hakeem-nicks-skips-giants--workout--irritates-coach-tom-coughlin--234525717.html

Great article on Super Bowl Nation (BBV) Kinda backs up my point in the previous post about Eli "making" receivers better. The New York Giants were missing Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz on the first day of OTAs on Wednesday, but that just opened the door for the other wide receivers in blue to receive increased repetitions with the first-string offense. Rueben Randle and Jerrel Jernigan replaced Nicks and Cruz as starters in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, with newcomer Louis Murphy also seeing plenty of action. It was a chance for Murphy in particular to get acclimated with his new quarterback, Eli Manning, and while the reps were important to the replacements, Manning is going to need his starters back in camp sooner rather than later. "You've still got to work on your timing," Manning said. "You've still got to work on the basics and everybody needs it. I need the basics. How many times have I thrown a hitch in my life? Or a curl route? I've still got to do it. I've still got to get those things and work them, but it is good to have other guys in there running routes and getting your timing down with other guys. That's how you look at it, but you'd still like to have all your guys out there. We all need to work. We all need to practice. We all need to improve on things." Cruz is still trying to work out a long-term extension with the Giants, which explains his absence. The team would love to do the same for Nicks, entering the final season of his contract. Nicks had a minor scope of his knee done in the offseason, but that didn't explain why he wasn't accounted for, according to head coach Tom Coughlin. "Yeah, sure I did," Coughlin said of whether he expected Nicks to attend. "I expect everybody here. Trying to get our team better here." Until the big guns arrive, Coughlin is hoping increased reps equate to greater results in the passing game. Signed as a free agent in March, Murphy, 26, caught 25 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown last season for the Carolina Panthers. Drafted in the fourth round in 2009 by the Oakland Raiders, Murphy enjoyed his best season in 2010 with the silver and black, grabbing 41 passes for 609 yards and two scores His strengths are speed and stretching the field, on full display on Monday when he caught a 50-yard bomb from Manning behind the secondary. Randle enters the 2013 season with expectations of an increased role. The Giants' second-round pick in 2012 caught 19 passes for 298 yards as a rookie. With the departures of Domenik Hixon and Ramses Barden, this summer presents a golden opportunity for Randle to secure the third wide receiver's job. Jernigan, the Giants' third-round pick in 2011, will be under the microscope. He has just three catches for 22 yards in two seasons. For as long as Cruz is out, Jernigan will be the team's slot guy, but with an increased role comes greater responsibility. "I think it's about time that he steps up," said offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. It's just one day into OTAs, but Manning is already impressed with the replacements. "Yeah. I hit Louis on a deep one," Manning said. "I got Rueben in there. I got Jernigan some catches. We're getting everybody in there getting them a lot of reps, getting on time with them. We're always going to get better. Whoever is on the field, we're going to expect them to go out there and play at a high level. So I think the more guys you have who are experienced and ready to play different positions, the better off we're going to be. The Giants are also breaking in a new tight end. Brandon Myers was signed from Oakland to replace Martellus Bennett. Myers had issues as a blocker, but also finished in the top six among tight ends in targets, catches and receiving yards. He'll also need to develop chemistry with Manning, a signal-caller who has a knack for turning his tight ends into big-play threats. "Each year, you're going to have challenges," Manning said. "Each year you're going to have new guys in there you're trying to get up to speed or you're trying to get them to perform and throw as much at them and see how quickly they can adapt and grasp things and that's what makes it exciting. That's what makes it challenging. That's what keeps me going every year. "I enjoy the challenges. I enjoy teaching our offense to new guys and getting them to when it finally starts to kick in and get them understanding and you start making plays. They kind of learn one part of it and then you kind of go into the next part and you get more advanced. Those are things I enjoy doing."

I have a hard time believing that Nicks was unhappy and wanted his contract restructured....but didn't bother to say anything? And now the front office is figuring it out based on him being a no-show at the OTA's? Has anyone seen the parallel going on in the last few years in which we have a plethora of great wide receivers and a QB that happens to have come into his own? Steve Smith was phenomenal....he left and became a nobody. Manningham was phenomenal....he left and became a nobody. Not saying that Nicks and Cruz can't be good on another team, but at some point they have to realize that all the time spent with Eli getting routes down and timing down, suddenly they're racking up pro-bowl type seasons. Regardless....I don't think it's coincidence that we've had a superb receiving corps since Eli has matured and settled in at the pro level. Eli is so low key that he is overlooked as the other half of the passing game and he is more than happy to let the receivers take all the glory for catching the ball. He works his ass off with each receiver so he's inside their heads and ruthlessly works on his timing to make that receiver look good. I saw in the news that Eli is spending a lot of time working with Murphy one-on-one. What do you want to bet that Murphy turns out to be a great receiver this year? Hopefully, he will have the insight to understand that his success is also due to the man who has set him up to succeed.

I was just reading about that. He was a big part of the superbowl team. Maybe the 49'rs are getting some of the Giants' luck

This is a great article that shows how important it is to have top notch management in the front office. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/22278358/agents-take-after-years-of-bad-deals-rebuilding-raiders-wont-be-easy

It's getting harder and harder to find anything worth reading football-wise these days, but I found these and thought I'd pass along. From SBNation: The Giants are one of the few teams who consistently use a fullback -- and according to Pro Football Focus are the team that benefits most from the play of their fullback. The continued importance of the run game to Tom Coughlin should not be understated and this year we I expect the Giants to have more rushing opportunities (last year they were 22nd in the league in attempts). Hynoski's continued development as well as the second year for the exciting Wilson and the addition of Pugh in the lineup sets up the Giants with perhaps their best running game weapons since 2008. From ProFootballFocus: Following the Fullbacks Who doesn't love a good, crunching lead block? You know the kind.... I-formation, the guard and tackle open up the b-gap, the fullback rams through like a man possessed and wipes the linebacker out of the play as his running back scampers all the way home for a score. But what a fullback does and how they are viewed are often two very different things. Reputations are often made with a few highlight reel hits, and then you get the adulation if your top back has himself an impressive yards per carry. But look at it this way. Last year only 19 players lined up at the fullback spot (whether I-formation or Offset I) on more than 100 occasions, and only 36 were used at least 50 times. Now, of those, it won't surprise anyone to know that in terms of the highest yards a team rushed for when a player was lined up at fullback, Jerome Felton led the way with a 6.3 yard per lead block average. In fact only he and the recently released Patrick DiMarco (6.2) averaged anything over 5 yards per lead block. But what's more interesting to me isn't the yardage they managed or even how many touchdowns (where the Texans had 17 rushing touchdowns with James Casey lined up at fullback), it's the success rate their teams had when they were lined up at fullback. For those wondering how we determine a "success rate", I'll define it the same way a number of the teams we work with do: collecting 40% of required yardage on first down, 60% of required yardage on second down, and 100% on either third or fourth down. To see the chart, go to: https://www.profootb...ly-may-16-2013/ The Giants' "Hynocerous" leads the way in an indication of the Giants' rushing attack being far more potent when he is on the field (he was also lined up at fullback for 15 of their touchdown runs). Behind him you get Will Tukuafu whose 46.67% puts the 39.27% of Bruce Miller (who finished 13th) to shame. Of course it isn't simply down to the lead back being on the field that teams pick up these yards, but even in the modern game that is more and more pass heavy, let's not forget the important role these guys play.

TE Michael Palmer and CB Antonio Dennard cleared waivers and were picked back up by the Giants and added to the injured/reserve list that doesn't count against their 90 man roster. I'm glad because I was hearing really good things about Palmer, a blocking specialist who surprised at camp by catching everything thrown near him. Between Pope and Eli, he could become a stud for us. I have no idea what kind of injury he suffered during rookie camp. Hope it's nothing serious.

I'm the same way. I buy hats. I have a half dozen Yankee hats, a half dozen Syracuse Orange hats, and a few Giants hats. I have different colored shirts and coats to match the color of the team I'm rooting for. Truth is...I wouldn't mind a jersey and would probably go with Eli's, but I'm so cheap that I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on a shirt I wouldn't wear except to games or football parties.

Yeah...except that his specialty was blocking and they were surprised at how he could catch everything. Supposedly he is injured and when there's limited room, injuries for undrafted rookies get cut quick.

In other news, Dwight Feeney's father talked on Sirius Radio this morning and says his son's "heart is in New York for the Giants" and says he'd play for less to be a Giant. Unfortunately, there is no cap space to absorb him.

The Giants cut TE Michael Palmer and CB Antonio Dennard because of "injuries. The Giants signed Kentucky QB turned TE, Morgan Newton Giants are showing renewed interest in FA Safety, Charles Woodson according to ESPN and PFT. Woodson has an offer on the table from Oakland, but is now talking with the Giants.

A few years ago we were introduced to the West Coast Offense and in the past decade, pretty much all teams have gone that route. The days of teams pounding it out on the ground 3 yards at a time are long gone. The whole idea behind the WCO is to stretch out the defensive backs to make bigger plays possible. That in itself makes the linebacker position less important...because they aren't going to see that many running plays in a game...unless of course, you have a porous defensive line then the opposing team will run the ball more. Once the defensive line is a wall that keeps the holes plugged, the linebackers are freed to move around in case there's a dump pass or sweep by a running back. In the past year, our LB's had to stay close to the defensive line because it was porous...especially when we send 2 out of 4 guys after the QB. Teams figured out that when playing the Giants, there will usually only be 2 guys manning the line opening up a whole new set of quick plays to avoid the sacks. Regardless...until the West Coast Offense loses its luster and teams start going back predominately to the ground game, LB's aren't going to be that important...IMHO.

I wonder how interested the teams were that had him in. I know the Jets complained that his physical showed he wasn't fully healed...but some claimed the Jets said that because they thought he was going to the Giants. In the end...getting down to the 53 man limit is brutal and for every new guy you keep, someone loses their opportunity...even quality guys. Since most kicks end up in the end zone now and very few are even run back, I suspect Wilson will keep that job for the Giants and he's very good at it and he won't take that much of a beating simply because he won't come out with the ball that often. Punt returner is a much more up in the air question for the Giants.

First practices start in 2 days (May 17th). I think he doesn't want to miss a practice and he's simply holding out right up until it's time to suit up on Friday.

Well...that option is gone. Just as well. He was a terrific kick returner...avg punt returner. And with the new rules, so many balls are kicked into the end zone that a dedicated kick returner isn't all that necessary. Hopefully, one of these young guys know how to catch a kicked ball when necessary and can scat like a mouse with a cat after it. Cribbs repeated often that he wanted to go to a team that was only missing a piece or two to be a Super Bowl contender...mainly, a kick returner. So he picks a team without a QB and missing about 20 pieces to become Super Bowl material.

Linebacker a 'red flag' for Giants? Football Outsiders thinks so by Ed Valentine on May 15 2013, 2:19p As part of a series identifying 'red flag' positions for each NFL team -- 'red flag' defined as a team's biggest remaining issue -- it has to come as no surprise that Football Outsiders has identified linebacker as the Giants' 'red flag' position. In an article for ESPN, Sean McCormick of Football Outsiders writes: The current starting trio of Dan Connor, Keith Rivers and Jacquian Williams is typical of the patchwork approach general manager Jerry Reese has taken during his tenure. Connor is a solid two-down plugger who is vulnerable in the passing game due to his lack of speed. Rivers is a former top-10 pick who has accumulated more surgeries than sacks in his five-year career. And Jacquian Williams is a guy named Jacquian Williams; he reportedly played in each of the past two seasons, but Giants fans can neither confirm nor deny his presence on the roster. McCormick also called it "surprising" that the Giants did not draft a single linebacker and beat the drum for the team to pursue free agent Brian Urlacher. Let's say I understand the first sentiment, but completely disagree with the second. Here is the Giants' current linebacker depth chart, including the signing of Curry and rookie agent Etienne Sabino. SLB Keith Rivers Aaron Curry Etienne Sabino MLB Dan Connor Mark Herzlich Jake Muasau WLB Jacquian Williams Spencer Paysinger That isn't going to knock anybody's socks off. Jerry Reese knows that. Here's the thing, though. You can't solve every problem you believe you have during a single offseason -- you have a salary cap and a limited number of draft choices. I have come to believe what I think Reese and the Giants believe -- if you are going to have a questionable or 'red flag' position on defense linebacker is the place to have it. Why? In a standard 433 defense you have fewer linebackers than defensive linemen or players in the secondary. Plus, the linebackers are the players coming off the field in passing situations where 4-2-5 and 4-1-6 alignments become the norm. So, you have a situation where the linebackers have the most limited role on your defense and it makes sense to allot a smaller portion of your limited resources to that area. None of that should be taken to mean that good linebackers are not important, or that a dominant three-down, sideline-to-sideline linebacker would not be a welcome addition to the Giants' defense. The Giants, I'm sure, would love to have one. Issues at linebacker, though, seem like the easiest ones to cover for on defense. Even the best linebackers aren't going to make plays if you have a defensive line that can't occupy blockers and let them roam. Average ones will make tons of plays when allowed to constantly run free to the ball. The Giants have spent the offseason bulking up the defensive tackle position (Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson, Johnathan Hankins, Shaun Rogers) to create such a scenario. The Giants have Will Hill and drafted Cooper Taylor partially to help in sub packages when linebackers come off the field. If his knee holds up perhaps Terrell Thomas could also do some of that. In run-heavy situations the Giants could also stand up Mathias Kiwanuka or Damontre Moore. Also, the Giants found out the hard way last season that when the pass rush does not function at maximum efficiency nothing works on defense. Also, that weaknesses in the secondary cost you big plays, touchdowns and, ultimately, games. The linebacker position, on paper, obviously does not look like a strength. If you are going to have a weakness, or 'red flag' position, linebacker seems like the most palatable. It seems to be the easiest one to cover for.

Reading a recent interview with Justin Pugh, made me think this kid is going to be something special before the dust settles. I like this kid a lot...just from his attitude about being a Giant. Justin Pugh Talks About Moving to the Right Side and About Being a Giant By Kelsey O'Donnell on May 14 2013 2013 first-round draft pick Justin Pugh worked at right tackle during the recent New York Giants rookie mini-camp rather than the left tackle spot he was familiar with at Syracuse University. The move is not slowing him down. "The whole thing is protecting insides," said Pugh. "Beforehand it was always right hand-right foot and now it's left hand-left foot so it's just getting used to that and getting comfortable in that stance. I feel really comfortable now and we'll just keep building it on this summer. "You want to get your plays down first and then once you go out there it becomes more of that muscle memory so that's something I'm getting on now. Just identifying the defenses and knowing the schemes and executing and just getting more and more comfortable. More and more reps is what's going to get that." At Syracuse Pugh and rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib played for Doug Marrone, now the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. They ran a pro-style offense, which Pugh feels has both players a step ahead from where they're expected to be. "I think having Coach Marrone we ran a lot of pro-style offense so we ran a lot of similar plays and I'm familiar with these runs'" said Pugh. "The passing schemes, we did a lot of the same stuff just different names, so just learning to speak that language is something we're working on now. So coming down the road we'll be not a step ahead of the game, but a step ahead of where so many rookies would have been so it's good". Pugh has had a chance to speak to a few veterans on the team, including the Giants starting quarterback, who gave the rookie some advice. "I talked to Eli Manning the other day. He's a real down-to-earth guy. For being a two-time Super Bowl champion and the face of the franchise he's real down-to-earth," said Pugh. "He told us whatever we need to come to him and told us what to expect with the rookie stuff going on the next few weeks." It seems that Pugh is adjusting to the pro style of practice very well and his handling himself the right way. He's looking forward to the summer as more practices come along. Not to mention he already really enjoys being a New York Giant. "It's awesome. It's great, you go out there practicing and you see the New York skyline. It's a great experience, a great organization, it's first class," said Pugh

Bad boy who couldn't correct his ways. This story will be about Alec Ogletree in a couple of years.

They say he is unbelievably athletic for a man his size. Moves like a Gazelle. Unfortunately, he's had a hard time matching what he's supposed to be doing with what his athletic ability is doing....hence, getting cut from the Bills. I'm pulling for the guy because if he can be trained properly by Flaherty, he'd be a mountain of a man to move on that front line and would help immensely in the running game.

Jasper is being called, "freakishly athletic", who can excel if he learns his assignments. Still on the Giants roster, the guy is committed to making the team. If he doesn't, he could become an Olympic athlete as he set state records for shot put while in H.S. He has retained his svelte 375 lbs target weight, down 75 lbs from when he was drafted by the Bills last a year ago. I'd like to see this guy at work picking a defensive lineman up in the air and throwing him back 4 or 5 feet on goal line stands.

Barden had that one big game and it looked like he was on his way. I think the reason he never panned out was because unless you are one of the starting WR's, you better be stellar on special teams. Barden wasn't. Backup WR's absolutely have to produce on ST to stay on the team.

LOL - yeah! I know how many states there are, just not how many NFL teams! Good catch.

I agree. Defensive schemes are very complicated and 34 teams have a few dozen schemes apiece. One thing I've always said concerning football at the NFL level..."you need a CEREBRAL QUARTERBACK" who can read the defense on the fly and understand what the defense is up to. I don't care what Vick's 40 time was or how far he can throw a football...or RGIII's elusive running back abilities. A winning QB has to digest the other team's defensive scheme and adapt plays to it on the fly. There is just so much information that a QB must have when diagnosing the defense and he has to do it in a span of about 6 seconds. If a QB is a good runner and very athletic, he's apt to take things into his own hands and use his legs instead of his brain when confused by the defense he is seeing across the line. That works well in college, but not in the pros. That's the thing I liked most about Nassib. Having watched him for a couple of years in my backyard, I know he's got pretty good arm strength and accuracy and can move well in the pocket when it collapses...but he's a genuine cerebral pocket QB who spends hours and hours studying film and learning defenses. He is the perfect understudy to Eli. Hopefully, when he does get a chance to play the position some day, he won't start out getting hammered so hard that he gets the sack-jitters like Carr.