This week, I chatted with Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times about new free agent acquisition Rocky Bernard. Here’s what he had to say:

Schneider: After watching Bernard play for the Seahawks for numerous seasons, are there any clear-cut weaknesses you noticed in his game?

O’Neil: Rocky is better getting up the field as opposed to those instances in which he is asked to occupy multiple blockers, keeping the linebackers clean so to speak.

Schneider: Clear-cut strengths?

O’Neil: He has a quick first step, and he’s also very tough. He played through the end of the 2007 season despite suffering from two sports hernias. Sometimes it was tough for him just to put his pants on, but he still played.

Schneider: As you know he had some off the field issues with hitting his girlfriend. Is Bernard a bad locker room guy? Can he be a bad influence and does he have any other off the field issues we may not know about in New York?

O’Neil: Bernard’s charge of domestic-violence assault is on a stipulated order of continuance and will be dismissed if he has no criminal law violations before June 2010. So far, there has been no indication that has been violated. Bernard was quite popular among his teammates, but he was present at the Seattle night club in October 2005 the night that Ken Hamlin was assaulted and suffered a season-ending injury. Hamlin was the victim of that attack and there was never an indication Bernard did anything to precipitate the scuffle. He came to Hamlin’s aid after he was injured.

Schneider: Also as you may know, the Giants are pretty deep at DT with Robbins and Cofield already here and with the signing of Bernard. With Bernard being a guy who was a starter in his last few seasons in Seattle, do you think he can adjust back to being a rotational player this year?

O’Neil: That’s probably the best fit at this point in Bernard’s career. He can come in as a situational pass rusher or someone to provide penetration into the backfield.

Schneider: Overall what can the Giant fan expect to get out of Bernard for the upcoming season? Is he a difference maker?

O’Neil: Bernard can be a difference maker as he showed in the 2005 season when he led the Seahawks defensive tackles in sacks. Of course, that was a year he was playing for a free-agent contract, too, and it remains his career-high. The Seahawks decided they wanted a tackle with more bulk to play alongside Brandon Mebane. The Giants are adding someone with a quick first step who has been a productive pass rusher.

To check out more from Danny and read his blog, click here..