Again, I am embroiled with other pundits across the internet and in barrooms over the value of rookies.
This year, the Giants will be looking for an inside linebacker in the draft (or in free agency) to become the centerpiece of their defense. To ask a rookie to step in and lead a defense to the playoffs is highly unrealistic.
That is why whoever they draft at MLB will mainly watch from the sidelines while a veteran (in-house candidate Jonathan Goff or a free agent such as Kirk Morrison) drives the bus in the meantime.
That aside, the Giants were leveled by injuries last season and never got to display Jerry Reese’s recent draft and free-agent gems. Here’s a quick update on a few of the players that fell short of expectations in 2009 and should make more of an impact in 2010….
Defense
DE Justin Tuck was tripped by Dallas’ Flozell Adams in Week Two, badly injuring his shoulder and inhibiting his ability to both rush the passer and stop the run. He played the final 14 games with his arm strapped to his body. He will be ready for training camp.
Free agent LB Michael Boley played well for the most part, but an early season suspension and then a knee injury shortened his season. He should be back and ready to display the athleticism that Reese had paid a small fortune last spring to see.
Two other FAs, DTs Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty lost most of their seasons to injuries as well. They are both looking to come to camp 100% back.
S Kenny Phillips only played two games last year before he had his knee woes addressed and – by all accounts – should be ready for the 2010 season.
CB Aaron Ross only dressed for four ganes in 2009. His hamstring is rested and ready to go for the 2010 season.
DT Jay Alford, a key component in the Giants’ defensive line rotation, never made it out of training camp. His knee injury landed him on season-ending IR. He’s coming back and he will help solidify the d-line.
Other players that will open some eyes in 2010 will be the team’s three second round draft choices from the past two drafts: CB Terrell Thomas, LB Clint Sintim and OT Will Beatty. Thomas has already shown that he can be productive. Beatty held his own in the few spot starts he got last season, and Sintim, who was hobbled by a groin injury for most of the season will build on some of the strong perfromces he logged last season.
Offense
RBs Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Andre Brown and DJ Ware all were affected by injury in 2009. Jacobs played with a banged-up knee all season.
Bradshaw had foot and ankle problems and never really got untracked. Ware was held out of eight games due to various injuries and Brown blew out his Achilles in training camp. This group should have better luck in 2010.
Players to watch in 2010: WR Ramses Barden and TE Travis Beckum. Barden had a hard time making the gameday 45-man roster because he was not faring well on special teams. The team dressed Domenik Hixon and Derek Hagan instead.
Reese had this to say…“We like Ramses Barden. We think he’s really a talent and we expect to get him in there early this time. You only have so many spots you can play out there, but we expect him to be in the mix and be a strong contributor for us.”
Barden, along with Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks give the Giants a solid young corp of receivers, among the league’s best.
The Giants are trying to get Beckum into the offensive flow as well. The Giants have reduced the TE role in recent years and opponents are beginning to notice. They need to make Beckum and Kevin Boss relevant pieces in the passing game. I think they will.
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thats exactly how i feel also i c travis beckum playing more tight end more then our second TE but maybe i stupid but i think we can get more depth in offense with moving even our fullback in & out the game and using his speed on slower LB
what i think we should do is draft a speed guy @ DB cuz we reallyy dont have anybody 2 hold speedy wideouts if anybody disagree look @ what desean jackson does to us & we got 2 play him 2ce a yr then we got miles austin and santana moss we really need a speed guy we get killed at that and focus 2 much attention 2 that then get killed by the run IMO
Good points…..I forgot to mention that Hedgecock was also hurting last season and needed off-season surgery
Nova,
I think Ross will be fine to start and can def. handle a guy like Desean jackson. Wouldn’t hurt to bring in another spedy DB though. I wanted the Giants to draft Captain Munnerlyn last season. He turned out to be pretty good. I hope the Giants are keeping their eyes out for some late round sleepers.
Great article. I still have some concerns about current personnel going in:
1, Can we pleeeeease let go of the whole D.J. Ware thing? The guy can’t stay healthy. If you guys call Aaron Ross injury-prone based on 1 injury than what do you call Ware?
2, I don’t even know why the Giants have a fullback of the blocking caliber and size of Hedgecock. They don’t seem to believe in the i-form anymore, arguably their bread and butter in 2007.
3, I think Beckum can be a special guy at TE. But how much of a liability is his blocking?
And some draft questions?
What do you guys think about Sean Lee?
Would you be upset if the Gants grabbed Jermain Gresham in round 1?
Well, Sean Lee looked good in the combine drills. His hips were really fluid. His 40 was just OK. I haven’t seen too much of his game stuff though. Whenever I watched a PSU game Navarro was the guy that always stood out to me.
I don’t think he is a guy that can take Shady McKoy on man.
I would be rip sh*t if the Giants took Gresham in the first. If they were to draft away from need I would rather they draft a big WR like Dez Bryant or A. Benn or an OT . But we just don’t have that luxury, so we better be drafting either a DT or ILB.
TD,
I gotta disagree with you on this one. I do like Sean Lee a lot. But that aside, I think the last thing the Giants need to do is draft another WR. Even in the late rounds. At least another TE wouldn’t crowd the field at this point. I wouldn’t be against it. He actually is one the best players in the draft and I’m actually surprised at how much his stock has fallen based solely on 1 injury. He’s not low character and hasn’t been exposed at all. At any rate I wouldn’t be a bad thing, imo. But a WR would just be ridiculous. The Giants have like 37 WRs on their roster. It’s doesn’t mak sense. And I like all of them. But where do they play. Almost every one of them is a Z also – outside of Manningham and maybe Barden. Ridiculous.
I agree with you that we don’t need a WR. I am just saying that if you can grab a big quality WR, this insulates against Barden busting. Benn and Dez Bryant would create big match up problems in coverage, especially in the red zone. I don’t think they should stray away from need, but Bryant and Benn provide a lot of value.
Again, they should stick to need, but if they were to stray I would not be as upset if they picked up Dez Bryant, but I would still be upset.
The problem with Gresham is that he is a one dimensional TE. He can’t block. These type of TE go in the second round. Petigrew went in the first round because he was the complete package.
I will throw my TV if the picked up Gresham in the first with the 15th pick.
TD,
Actually Gresham is an excellent blocker. He’s pretty much everything you’d want in a TE. maybe not as fast as a Jeremy Shockey but a superb athlete and player overall. A lot of special things would happen with the O he came t the team.
I mean, your logic isn’t flawed when it comes to the WR position but even if Barden busts, which he is likely to do. You still have Nicks, who’s great, SMith who’s great, and Manningham who’s right on the brink. Then Hixon and Hagan are great backups. Oh please can the Giants drop Sinorice Moss? It’s a nice problem to have. But, say you draft Dez Bryant. You now have to pay 4 starting WRs and start only 2 of them. And Smith’s coctract is up as well. Something to think about.
I mean it aint the end of the world, but think about this, when the Giants drafted Kiwanuka, they passed on guess who? Demeco Ryans. So sometimes having too much of a luxury at 1 position can cost you in the long run.
I def. Do like the way ya thinking of drafing him wit our 1st I don’t think he is going 2 fall 2 da 2nd so get another powerback like we did b4 & cut down on the passing this yr let tire the boyz out so by running the ball wit the big boyz & us bradshaw az the homerun speed plus power which he uses
1 point we disagree wit igs I don’t think ross can cover anyway of the top guys in the nfc east remember he got killed by braylon edwards a couple of yrs ago & he isn’t the a speed guy like terrance newman or champ bailey who doesn’t have the speed nomore but uses his size & smarts 2 hurt the offense same goes 4 charles woodson & ike taylor. Aaron ross don’t use that @ all he is good 4 a safety 4 3rd down protection on long convertions & leave kp off the field cuz aaron is a good tackler
Cover two corners don’t need to play much man. Secondly, Ross is not the one that handles the number 1 wrs that Websters job. I would love a speed CB, but we have other problems to fix.
Perhaps if Brandon Ghee is available in the 3rd they should pick him up. He ran the fastest 40 for the CBs. To be honest, there arent; any burners this year at CB. Haden was supposed to be that guy, but he ran a slow 40. His game speed is much much faster, but there still aren’t any top guys that carry the speed you want.
I actually don’t think that Ross has even peaked yet. I have seen him run step for step on routes with some pretty nasty opposing WRs. I’m not against taking a CB. And if Ghee is there in the 3rd, which he wont be, that’s great value. I just would call it a high priority.
You are right Ghee won’t make it that far. If he is, I would pick him up though.
Granted that we do have other problems 2 fix but even wit webster he get hurt & 2 me he isn’t the guy 2 hold # 1 I think he can b able 2 lock down # 2 wideouts but not the # 1′s remember what old donald driver did 2 him & TO & brandon marshall randy moss in week 17 need I say more about corey webster or aaron ross I like them a lot but they have 2 many holes when it comes 2 covering & I damn sure don’t like the sound of the cover 2. We have 2 many holes in our front line well I wouldn’t say holes but I jus don’t kno what 2 many people will bring
Why draft another dt why I jus don’t understand that we are all ready full wit depth there grant that didn’t produce but how much do you expect from them but 2 clog hole which I feel they did when the big runs can they double the DTs & ran the ball 2wards osi way & not straight up the gut which they handle wit ease I wouldn’t blame injuries on who we need 2 take in the draft I still believe very much that canty & alford can b a problem if both can b healthy this season so wasting a 1st pick on a DT is kinda stupid 2 me but maybe I’m not seeing it
Alford is not a run stuffer he is a penetrator. He is a solid 3 technique guy but far from what you need at NT. We haven’t had a run stuffing DT for a long time. Its true they did run at Osi a lot, but a run stuffer next to Osi fixes this problem, especially when you force them to throw two guys on your DT. Rocky Bernard was supposed to do this but failed.
Secondly you mean to tell me that you are placing your hope on a guy who weighs 300+ with questionable knees.
Thirdly, you mention depth. All the guys we have at DT are 3 technique guys. We have no NT.
The Giants gave up 21 rushing TD’s third most in the league. Rushing yards per game, they ranked 19th. That is a sorry display.
TD,
Gotta disagree with you here. Anytime you’re doing business in the backfield, particularly in a 4-3, that’s better than holding the point. IN a 4-3 every player has both run and pas responsibilities primary, but getting in the backfield just disrupts everything because you always have those DE to come around and clean it up.
That’s not to say that don’t advocate taking Price. I love price.
I am not sure that the 4-3 excepts you from needing a two gap DT. Doesn’t the set up go like this:
LE UT NT RE
Where your LE is the stouter DE then your UT is the penetrator ( 3 technique) and the NT is your two gap DT which supports your speed rushing DE?
The 4-3 allows you to go with two penetrating DTs if you don’t have any two gap DTs, but the ideal is to have what I just described above. I would even say that when of defense was strong in 2007 and 2008, teams still were able to run on us. I blame that on teh DTs.
Yeah TD,
I agree for the most part. But I think you want all your guys generally to be able to do both. That’s why Tuck and Strahan are so valueable and Osi and Kiwi have to be covered up. And even Fred Robbins at his best does both.
And I think if you have good DEs and a smart LB corp behind them, being able to penetrate will eliminate the need for a NT at all.
Personally I think its better to have penetrators. If your LBs and DBs are good you wont get killed on a screen and when you can get good penetration all day, that fleaflicker and wildcat stuff are out the window. All those timing routes and tosses… forget it. And you’re going to hit the QB a lot.
I feel you in what you what they suppose 2 b BUT canty is that nt type of guy remember the guy played 3-4 his whole life going by what he said so he has the ability 2 being that he did play 3-4 in a 4-3 defense & him being 6-7 I think he should b that type of guy if you remember him in dallas the man couldn’t b moved unless you put 2 guys on him & if you put 1 guy on him he moved him wit ease & disrupted the whole play this is going by the games I seen wit him going against the gaints wit the star on his helmet so don’t yu think he can do it wit a guy like alford next 2 him & he can get rest & put cofield in
We all agree rocky isn’t that guy until further notice
Coefield is a Ram now.
Reese sees Canty as a 3 technique guy which means still no NT
On why they thought Canty would succeed in 4-3: “He’s a big-body guy that can definitely play the 3 technique in our defense and he can still play some of the defensive end stuff we do. We like interchangeable guys in our front and we thought he could play several positions in our front. But primarily, we think he’s going to be a 3 technique from us.”
But Canty was a DE in Dallas if my memory serves me correctly.
no i thought it was robbins thats a ram now cofield is 2 young 2 give up on giants aint that dumb
You are right. It was Robbins.
ya not gone find these guys like picking a apple from a tree let canty do what he do and we can judge on him after he gets a full yr but im very high on him right now
Iggs you will like this. Supports a few things you have said.
http://www.giantsgab.com/2010/03/01/giants-thinking-offensive-line-in-the-draft/
Thanks. So TD, what do you think about this best player available thing. I’ve never really been a fan, and bpa is so subjective most of the time. I’m thinking again of that Kiwinuka, Demco Ryans draft. You know I’m going to set up a draft where they take Gresham and see ho the chips fall.
Yeah, I with you, for the reason you mentioned. I really don’t like BPA.
Now with a draft this talented, it makes things very intersting. CJ Spiller would add an interesting dimension to our running game. One of the OTs would really solidify our line for the next five years. Morgan and Dunlap don’t really excite me.
I have a feeling that Taylor Mays might be a guy Reese targets. I remember reading reports talking about how the Giants were high on him, and that was pre-combine, when his stock was at it lowest. Reese shat on Johnson, so he might take Mays. Mays doesn’t have to start right away either, now that we have Rolle, and KP.
That’s true about Mays, wouldn’t have to start. I agree with you about Dunlap, he just seems like somebody’s bust. Hopefully not the Giants. do like Derick Morgan a lot as a player but not what the Giants need unless they do plan to trade Oooooosiii. Which I hope they don’t. I mean I don’t think you should be slave to 1 particular need, but there should be some kind of match to what you need.
they had marcus spears and greg ellis playing the ends if im not bugging and he played the middle thats b4 they moved greg 2 lb wen spencer got hurt but maybe i am bugging
Okay, long time. I’m fuzzy on that. Thanks.
30 comments. We got a real Barn-burner here. Where the hell are the Giants fans? I guess winning too much makes you apathetic.