Giants re-sign Carr, cut Madison, Knight and Droughns

[jranieli]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/20...elis-backu.html

 

Giants re-sign Carr; cut Madison, Knight, Droughns

 

David Carr will be back for another season with the Giants.

 

Sam Madison, Reuben Droughns and Sammy Knight will not.

 

Carr, who spent last season as the backup quarterback to Eli Manning, re-signed with the Giants “very recently,” according to his agent, Mike Sullivan. The one-year deal will pay the 29-year-old a $1 million salary next season.

 

Meanwhile, according to multiple NFL sources, the Giants freed up more than $4.25 million in salary cap space by cutting Madison (who was due a $1.77 million salary in 2009), Droughns ($1.25 million) and Knight ($1.25 million). All three players had ended the 2008 season on injured reserve.

 

All four moves are expected to be announced by the Giants in a few hours.

 

The Carr move is a bit of surprise, only because it was expected he’d search the free agent market to see if he had a better opportunity at a starting job. The former No. 1 overall pick (2002) hasn’t been a regular starter since leaving the Houston Texans after the 2006 season. He spent one unproductive season with the Carolina Panthers before joining the Giants last March.

 

Carr only played twice for the Giants last season. He mopped up a 44-6 win over Seattle on Oct. 5 (completing his only pass for five yards) and he played the second half of the Giants’ meaningless season finale in Minnesota (8 for 11, 110 yards, one touchdown).

 

The three cuts, though, were not unexpected. Droughns and Madison clearly knew they headed in this direction, considering they were both forced to take pay cuts to stay with the team in 2008. And none of them were very productive last season anyway.

 

Madison, 34, got off to a slow start last summer while recovering from offseason hernia surgery and he lost his starting job to Corey Webster and the nickel back job to Kevin Dockery. Soon, rookie Terrell Thomas was jetting past him on the depth chart and the veteran played in only seven games before breaking his ankle in the regular season finale.

 

The 30-year-old Droughns, meanwhile, suited up for 12 games but played only on special teams. Already behind Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw on the depth chart, he was passed this season by 23-year-old Danny Ware. The 33-year-old Knight played in nine games last season before landing on injured reserve with a hip injury and lost his playing time to rookie Kenny Phillips.

[Lubeck]

All good moves. Hopefully Madison comes back as assistant DB coach though.

 

It is kind of surprising Carr didn't explore FA though.

[jranieli]

Even better article with some quotes from Coughlin.

 

http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/story...?story_id=35375

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Giants today re-signed one player, said goodbye to three others and welcomed a new member of their coaching staff.

 

The Giants extended the contract of QB David Carr and released three players Monday

 

David Carr will return in 2009 as Eli Manning’s backup quarterback. Carr, who joined the Giants last year, played in three games in 2008.

 

The Giants terminated the contracts of three veteran players who ended the season on injured reserve– running back Reuben Droughns, cornerback Sam Madison and safety Sammy Knight.

 

Tom Coughlin filled the final vacancy on his coaching staff by hiring Al Holcomb as the Giants’ new defensive quality control coach. Holcomb comes to the team from Lafayette College. He replaces Andre Curtis, who joined Steve Spagnuolo’s staff with the St. Louis Rams.

 

Carr, who is entering his eighth NFL season, threw only 12 passes last year in reserve of Manning. He completed nine for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Carr saw his most extensive action in the regular season finale in Minnesota, where he played the entire second half and hit eight of 11 passes for 110 yards and a score.

 

Despite his limited playing time, Carr was an important contributor to the NFC East champions as the scout team quarterback in practice. Carr was equally adept at impersonating drop-back quarterbacks such as Kurt Warner and those more nimble on their feet, like Donovan McNabb.

 

“We are excited about having David Carr back,” Coach Tom Coughlin said. “He did a very good job of preparing our defensive team this past year. David helped us prepare for the opponent’s offensive scheme, whether it included a quarterback who was mobile or a drop-back game. The coaches were very pleased with what he did and I just hope it gets better.”

 

Carr takes great pride in helping prepare the defense by giving an accurate portrayal of the opposing quarterback.

 

“When the season starts Eli gets all the reps, so that is really the only time I get to work on some things in a live situation,” Carr said. “At the same time I am trying to give them looks, I am trying to work on things in my game that I can improve. I am talking to the defense constantly about what they are doing and trying to help them any way I can from a quarterback’s perspective and they return the favor and do the same thing to me. It was a real good situation. Coach Spagnuolo and I had a really good relationship and Coach Coughlin and everybody, we just got along great. It was all positive for me last year and it was something that they made it comfortable for me to come back.”

 

Manning, who threw the game-winning touchdown in yesterday’s Pro Bowl, is secure as the team’s No. 1 quarterback, but he also benefits from having Carr as a teammate.

 

“I think that going beyond a one-year opportunity allows the relationship between Eli and Dave to continue to grow,” Coughlin said. “A lot of really good positive things come out of the meeting room with regard to two veteran quarterbacks and (position coach) Chris Palmer and the thinking and the way in which they study and understand the next opponent. Eli’s whole idea is to stay at least one day ahead of the coaches and what I like is when the quarterbacks themselves are in there looking at an opponent, talking about the opponent, talking about the opponent’s strength’s and weaknesses, thinking about what can and can’t work. So I like that kind of exchange between two veteran quarterbacks. I think it is also beneficial to David Carr’s career that he spend a minimum of another year with the New York Giants.”

 

Carr was the first overall selection of the 2002 NFL Draft, by the expansion Houston Texans. He played five years in Houston and one with the Carolina Panthers. His career totals include 2,218 passes, 1,325 completions (59.7 percent) for 14,141 yards, 64 touchdowns and 72 interceptions.

 

When Carr signed with the Giants last year, it was widely assumed he would stay for just one season before seeking a starting job with another franchise. Several teams still have unsettled quarterback situations, but Carr decided his best move was to stay put.

 

“Last year was just such a positive experience for me I wanted to try to do it again,” Carr said from his California home. “Just try and kind of get another one of those years under my belt just learning and continuing to better myself. Honestly, there are spots out there and starting positions and there could have been some things where it would have just been my Houston situation all over again and it wasn’t really something I was looking forward to, to tell you the truth.

 

“(Some of the starting possibilities) it is just difficult to win. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t love the challenge of doing that, but it just wasn’t right for me, the spots that were available. I felt comfortable in New York, my wife likes it out there, and it was kind of an easy deal for me.”

 

Carr cited several reasons why he was eager to return to the Giants.

 

“The offensive scheme is very quarterback-friendly,” he said. “I still think the offensive line is the best in the game and then having the running game like we have and the defense. I think that our defense can only get better from where we were last year. I think that it is going to be another situation where we are competing for a division title and then hopefully going further in the playoffs than we did this year and that is something that I want to be a part of for at least one more year. Maybe next year there would be some better situations out there for me and we will look at that when that comes up, but I am happy that the Giants and I could come to an agreement where I am coming back for one more.”

 

In Droughns, Madison and Knight, the Giants released three players with a combined 33 years of NFL experience.

 

Droughns joined the Giants on March 9, 2007 in a trade with Cleveland for Tim Carter. He led the Super Bowl XLII champion Giants with six rushing touchdowns. He ran for 275 yards that season. Last year, Droughns did not have a rushing attempt, but he finished fourth on the team with 11 special teams tackles. He suffered a neck injury at Dallas on Dec. 14 and was placed on injured reserve two days later.

 

Madison played three seasons for the Giants after spending the first nine years of his career with the Miami Dolphins. In 2007, he played in seven games as a reserve defensive back and on special teams before breaking his ankle on Dec. 28 at Minnesota. Madison’s interception of a McNabb pass in Philadelphia on Nov. 9 was the 38th of his career.

 

Knight joined the Giants last March 4 after stints with New Orleans, Miami, Kansas City and Jacksonville. He played in nine games and finished the year with 13 tackles (eight solo). When Knight was inactive at Cleveland on Oct. 13, it ended his streak of 160 consecutive games played. He has 42 career interceptions. Knight was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury on Nov. 29.

 

Holcomb, the newest member of the coaching staff, spent the previous three seasons as the defensive line coach at Lafayette. The Leopards’ defensive coordinator, John Loose, worked with new Giants coordinator Bill Sheridan from 1992-97 and enthusiastically recommended Holcomb.

 

“Al Holcomb is a veteran coach who has been at the collegiate level his entire career,” Coughlin said. “As a coordinator he has coached all three position groups (line, linebacker and secondary). John Loose called Bill Sheridan and said this is an extremely impressive football coach who is deserving of an opportunity like this if someone would give him a chance to interview - so we did. I was impressed with Al and with his whole thought process in terms of how he got in to coaching. He did not play football at West Virginia but became a G.A. at Temple right out of college. He has a master’s degree and I think he will make a solid addition to our staff.”

 

Holcomb previously coached at Kutztown University, Bloomsburg and Colby. In the summer of 2007, he participated in the NFL’s minority coaching internship with the Jets.

 

“I am humbled and it is a great honor and a privilege to be a part of a great organization like the New York Giants,” Holcomb said. “They have such a storied tradition and franchise and I am certainly looking forward to contributing and being a part of a great season. Coaching in the NFL was a goal of mine. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, to be honest with you.”

[NeMesiS]

I hope madison comes back as a Coach. :brooding:

[so-cal dub]

Carr is coming back. VERY good news.

[njsmalls]

I'm suprised Carr is okay with being a backup. I guess he's just sick of getting his shit pushed in.

[Lubeck]

I'm suprised Carr is okay with being a backup. I guess he's just sick of getting his shit pushed in.

 

Maybe it is the homer in me but I really think the Giants offer a different atmosphere than other teams give. And it doesn't hurt that right now they are a winning team. He put up great numbers in his very limited opportunities, and if you live in the NYC area and listen to WFAN you are sure to have heard Jet fans calling in saying they should bring him in, but there is something to be said about making a million bucks and not getting knocked around. It is a great deal for both sides. The Giants get a veteran QB who has experience with being on the end of some nasty defensive looks and Carr not only gets the money but is appreciated for what he can bring to the team.

 

And after the beatings he took in Houston and Carolina being appreciated is something Carr has not had since college.

[Nas]

All good moves. Hopefully Madison comes back as assistant DB coach though.

 

It is kind of surprising Carr didn't explore FA though.

 

Agreed. but you won't hear me complaining about this one

[Allstarjim]

Count me in as another who is pleasantly surprised with the resigning of Carr. I really liked his hire last year and having that kind of insurance is invaluable. I hope he gets a little more time in games this season to showcase his talent... and by more time I mean GARBAGE time because we are blowing the opposition out and we can afford to sit Eli down!

[JMFP]

I'm happy to see Carr come back. Having a quality backup QB is a luxury that many NFL teams simply don't have.

[BurnThePhilFans]

Ahhh man... its a little sad to see Madison go. Well thanks for a few good years and a ring and that great trash talk and the pass breakup in OT against Cinci this year that probably saved the game!