Giants’ Mini-Camp News
Giant Support for Darrelle
LeBron James aside, it’s become the biggest story in New York sports. Darrelle Revis wants to be the highest paid cornerback in the league, which means the Jets’ star is seeking more than $15 million a year. So far, the Jets have balked at such demands. On Monday, on the first day of the Jets’ mini-camp, Revis sat out a few plays, eventually admitting that he was staging a protest over the stalled negotiations.
Giants’ defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora were clear about where they stand.
“Pay the man,” Tuck told ESPN New York yesterday following day one of mini-camp. “I’ll tell you the truth, some people don’t deserve what they’re asking for, but he does.”
Umenyiora agreed.
“I do know he’s probably the best cornerback in the league and this NFL, if he wasn’t performing, they’d cast him aside like he was nothing,” Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. “So he’s outperformed his contract. Whatever they need to do they need to do, but they need to come to terms with that man. He’s a good young player he seems to be a good young man.”
Osi Opens Camp with Second Team
Speaking of Umenyiora, the defensive end opened mini-camp Tuesday with the second team. Umenyiora was okay with that yesterday, but as expected he says he’d like to get his starting job back.
“If I truly was not the best player, then I’d be cool with it,” Umenyiora said in a report by Daily News beat writer Ralph Vacchiano. “But if I feel like I am the best player – and everybody in this league knows the type of player I am – the minute in my mind I’m playing the way I’m capable of playing and I’m not on the field, then of course it’s going to be a problem.”
Umenyiora missed the entire 2008 season with a knee injury and his struggles last year led to him losing his starting spot on defense. He did get some work in with the first team yesterday, but Umenyiora made it clear that he eventually wants to be with the first team for good.
“I feel like I’m still one of the best defensive ends in the league in my head,” Umenyiora said. “That’s pretty much all that counts. If I really decided to start thinking about (having to win the job), it’s not going to be good for this team at all.”
