Plax will show at camp, but ain't happy.

[Virginia Giant]

Report: Burress upset with contract talks but won't hold out from camp

 

ESPN.com news services

 

Updated: July 22, 2008, 11:02 AM ET

 

 

One Giant headache is gone now that Jeremy Shockey has been traded to the Big Easy. Plaxico Burress is trying to assure the Giants he won't become another one for the defending Super Bowl champions.

 

 

Burress, who has been campaigning for a new contract, told the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., that he will report to training camp on time when it begins Thursday.

 

"I'm going to be at camp. I'm going to get out and practice," Burress told The Star-Ledger. "I said that I may not have, but the smarter thing for me to do is to show up and show my teammates I'm ready to play football."

 

That doesn't however, mean he'll be a happy camper.

 

 

 

"It shouldn't have gotten to this point. It just shows me as a person how important I really am to them," Burress told the newspaper. "This thing's a two-way street. It's not a one-way. ... It just opens your eyes a little bit to the people you're walking around with. You look them in the face and they smile at you."

 

Burress told the newspaper that he remains hopeful that a new deal can be agreed on. However, sources told the New York Daily News that the two sides remain far apart in negotiations.

 

Burress, who caught a game-winning 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining in the Super Bowl to give the Giants a 17-14 win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, has three years remaining on his six-year, $25 million deal. He will earn $3.25 million this year, $3.5 million in 2009 and $3.75 million in 2010.

 

But after big deals for Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Javon Walker, Burress wants a raise.

 

However, one source told the Daily News that the Giants "have gone about as far as they're willing to go."

 

Agent Drew Rosenhaus also says his client will report to camp on time, however.

 

"I don't think that we've ever had discussions about him holding out," Rosenhaus told the Daily News. "That's not him. Plaxico will be at camp regardless of the status of the negotiations. We've been able to separate the negotiations from what Plax has to do for the team."

 

Burress missed five team meetings in last month's minicamp and, according to the Star-Ledger, was fined $42,000. Shockey, who was traded to the New Orleans Saints on Monday, also was fined $25,000 by the team for "conduct detrimental to the team," the newspaper reported.

 

According to the Star-Ledger, Shockey spent the entire minicamp inside Giants Stadium while his teammates were practicing outside. Coach Tom Coughlin told reporters that Shockey wasn't excused from practicing with the team. The newspaper reported that it's unclear whether Shockey was fined for sitting out the practices or for his reported screaming match with general manager Jerry Reese.

 

 

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