This seems like a fair-ish way to get both teams in on the opening “weekend” action.

The Jets will host the first pre-season game at the new stadium in August.

Angerer is a solid pro prospect.  His style is similar to that of Barrett Ruud of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but more aggressive. The only drawback to Angerer is his size (235 lbs), but he can gain the extra 15 lbs of muscle he needs through the Giants strength and conditioning program.

According to Walter, Angerer is projecting as a 4-3 MLB.  He had 135 tackles for the Hawkeyes in 2009, with four tackles for losses.

It won’t be difficult to find him in this video tribute….he’s the one rocking the opponents’ world – #43

The Jets revealed on their website yesterday that the process of determining which team will host the inaugural regular-season game in the new stadium is a simple flip of a coin.

The Giants have not confirmed this nor has the NFL, but Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said that the Jets were looking forward to the coin toss.

I guess this is the simplest way in the end.  Most fans don’t really care who plays the first game, but there are some that do.

Jet fans have always been second-class citizens at the Meadowlands, and playing the first game would go a long way in solidifying the thought of finally having a home field of their own.

Giant fans have mixed feelings, many still reeling from the new world order created by PSLs.  Much of the old guard is gone – priced out and bitter – and many other familiar faces have had to move their seats to different locations.

Our friends at Giants Gab took a whack at a mock draft and who the Giants might take in the first three rounds. You’ll be shocked by this one, guaranteed….

My man Glenn Warciski at Ultimate NYG discusses the value of “hidden yardage” and why the Giants are looking to replace Lawrence Tynes on kickoffs……..

Ernie Palladino tells us about performance-based-pay earned by players: how it works and who got the most….

At Inside Football, Patricia Triana continues to inform and enlighten us with her “Letters to the Editor” series…..Pat , like Ernie, is accredited member of the Giants’ beat reporter pool…..

News and Notes

Not a lot happening right now, as expected.  There were a few College Pro Days and a smattering of minor free-agent signings this week, but nothing that shook the landscape.  The Giants continued to fill holes by signing QB Jim Sorgi to replace David Carr, who signed with San Francisco.

The Redskins finally made a move, signing RB Larry Johnson to a 3-year deal.  How much does Johnson have left in the tank, though..? We shall see……..Philadelphia brought back WR Hank Baskett and are reportedly looking to sign Raiders’ RB Justin Fargas.  If nothing else, these signings will guarantee some celebrities in the stands.  Baskett is married to reality TV star Kendra Wilkinson and Fargas’ dad is actor Antonio Fargas, who reached fame as “Huggy Bear” on the ’70’s TV series “Starsky and Hutch”.

The Cowboys have been quiet thus far.  They are one of the “final eight” teams who are limited in free agency.  They can still bring in players that have been released by other teams, though. They just haven’t so far.

According to USA Today, owner Jerry Jones is exercising patience:

“There’s no angst about getting anxious here,” the Cowboys owner said. “We’re just watching it unfold. We’re pleased with what we have in place with the Dallas Cowboys, but if you look at our past several years, we’ve never jumped right out there in free agency.  The last several years, we haven’t been big off-the-bat right out front. We’ve been concentrating on our own players and you see the result of it. DeMarcus Ware signing, and the fact that we’ve signed a lot of the players that we’ve signed and we’re in various stages of trying to sign the ones that aren’t signed.”

“We will be active,” Jones said. “I’m anticipating some value and opportunities that are not there right now.”

Over the past few weeks, I have read a number of comments suggesting that Jerry Reese is too “smart” to draft based on need and that the good GMs draft the best player available instead of reaching for the best player at their position of need.  Using this logic, judging by Jerry Reese’s three drafts as Giants GM, he does not fit the profile of a good general manager.

In 2007, the team’s biggest need was a cornerback, and Reese drafted Aaron Ross.  In 2008, the team’s biggest need was a safety to replace Gibril Wilson, and Reese drafted Kenny Phillips.  In 2009, the team’s biggest need was a wide receiver (or so everyone though), and Reese drafted Hakeem Nicks.

To say that Jerry Reese will not draft for need in the first round is a statement that is not based on fact.

Is it possible that Reese selected the best player available according to the Giants’ draft board, and that they just happened to coincidentally play the positions of biggest need.  I guess so.  But the more likely scenario is that the Giants selected the best player available at the position they deemed the greatest area of need.  That they all turned out to be good players and that they filled these needs relatively quickly is a testament to Reese’s ability to evaluate talent.

There’s no way of knowing what goes on behind the scenes in the Giants’ war room.  Jerry Reese was quoted as saying that Aaron Ross was both a need and value pick, but sports fans should expect to be given lip service when higher ups are discussing the inner workings of the game.  The only thing I have to go by are the results of Reese’s three drafts, and so far, he has used his first round pick to fill a pressing need 100% of the time.

I’m not saying that the Giants will certainly not draft based on value.  I believe that throughout the draft, there are certain opportunities for a GM to make their team better by making value-picks: players that do not fit immediate needs but have fallen far beyond where the team has them ranked on their draft board.  When the Giants drafted Steve Smith, they had Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey as weapons for Eli Manning in the passing game.  Smith did not fill an immediate hole, but the Giants drafted him because they had him rated as the best player available with their second round pick.  Smith turned out to be an important player down the stretch and one of the best draft picks the Giants have made this century.

Often, picks such as this are what make or break a draft.  Other examples of Reese’s value picks are Kevin Boss, Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Johnson and Mario Manningham, all of which turned out to be valuable players despite not filling immediate needs.

But in the first round, when the premium players are still available, Reese has shown that he is not afraid to draft based on need.

So, can someone please explain to me where this idea that Reese doesn’t draft based on need comes from?

Dan Williams of Tennessee is 6″2″, 330 and is simply a monster in the middle.  He may be too good to pass up…..

It was revealed at Alabama’s Pro Day today that star LB and projected high draft-pick Rolando McClain has been battling Crohn’s since high school.

According to sources, McClain did not complete his drills, leaving esrly due to illness.  This is not a good sign for the Giants or any other team that was going to put their chips on McClain.

Crohn’s Disease is an incurable, but treatable, affliction of the lower intestinal tract.  QB David Garrard of the Jacksonville Jaguars also suffers from Crohn’s, and he has rarely – if ever – missed time due to its effects.

Safety Still A Need

The Giants are still actively seeking some depth at safety, but are likely to steer clear of the more expensive options such as Darren Sharper.  Look for them to draft a safety in the early rounds.  One in particular is intriguing – Nate Allen of South Florida.  Again, Gibril Wilson is a free agent.  He may end up back here because the Giants recently cut Aaron Rouse and Kenny Phillips may be slow to return….Don’t forget, the Giants still have some latitude at safety even before the draft.  Sha’reff Rashad, a second-year man out of Central Florida and Vince Anderson – the “tweener” they found on Manic Monday after last year’s draft – are still Giants.

Free Agent Notes

The Giants have been fairly active compared to some other teams.  They added two key pieces very quickly – a safety and a backup QB.  There is more room for improvement, but free agency might not be the way to go.  Some suggested there would be a flurry of trades, but thus far, trades have few and far between…

DT Fred Robbins signed with the Rams yesterday.  QB David Carr has agreed to become a 49er.  Along with Rouse, the Giants cut LB London Fryar this week. ….

And in most cases, after two years we have seen enough to give us a strong indication of whether or not they will be successful players. In other cases, we can close the book entirely.

But while we can say what we want, these grades should be taken with a slight grain of salt.

Kenny Phillips (Round 1, Pick 31)

With the last pick in the first round, the Giants selected this Miami product to replace departed safety Gibril Wilson.

Phillips received rave reviews for his performance in training camp, and it looked like the Giants had themselves a steal.

Although it took Phillips until mid-season to crack the starting lineup due to injury, he eventually settled nicely into a three man rotation with Michael Johnson and James Butler.

Entering the 2009 season, Phillips was primed for a breakout. Butler had left via free agency, and Phillips became the full time starter.

The youngster did not disappoint, recording two key interceptions in a week two win at the new Cowboys stadium.

Unfortunately that is the last game he played due to patellofemoral arthritis in his left knee.

Phillips’ future is still in doubt; if he can come back fully healthy, he can be one of the top safeties in the game.

If not, he is a sad, familiar story of a talented player who couldn’t overcome injuries.

(Phillips’ injury is not reflected in the grade of his selection; GM Jerry Reese cannot be faulted)

Grade: A

Terrell Thomas (Round 2, Pick 63)

For the second year in a row, the Giants selected a USC Trojan in the second round. For the second year in a row, the Giants struck gold.

In his rookie year, Thomas was mostly used as a nickelback behind Corey Webster and Aaron Ross.

His first season was a modest success, with 45 tackles and an interception. But, in his second season, Thomas was forced into action due to Aaron Ross’ gimpy hamstring; he did not disappoint.

In a season wrought with lapses in coverage, Thomas was the Giants’ most consistent defensive back. He recorded 85 tackles and five interceptions—tops on the team.

Looking forward, Thomas will team with Corey Webster and a healthy Aaron Ross to create a very good cornerback core.

Just don’t expect him to give up his starting job anytime soon.

Grade: A

Mario Manningham (Round 3, Pick 95)

Super Mario was one of the most prolific receivers to ever wear a Michigan Wolverines jersey. But, due to concerns about his character, Manningham slipped to the Giants at round three.

In his rookie season, Manningham struggled to get on the field, and finished with just four receptions for 26 yards and one rush for negative twelve yards.

But Manningham broke out in his second season, grabbing a starting receiver job opposite Steve Smith.

Although he eventually lost his starting job to Hakeem Nicks, partially due to injuries, Manningham had a good season, showing flashes of brilliance.

He did struggle with drops, but with the ball in his hands, he was electric. Manningham finished with 57 receptions, 822 yards and five touchdowns and will be a big part of the Giants’ passing game going forward.

Grade: A

Bryan Kehl (Round 4, Pick 123)

The fact that the Giants traded up seven spots to snag the outside linebacker from BYU suggests that GM Jerry Reese and his crew were big fans of the youngster, and that they thought at least one other team felt the same way.

Unfortunately, Kehl has not lived up to his fourth round billing, making little impact at the NFL level.

He had his moments as a rookie, tallying 35 tackles and an interception, but he managed just 22 in his second season.

His third season could be make or break for Kehl, but as of right now, his NFL resume is unfortunately unimpressive.

Grade: C-

Jonathan Goff (Round 5, Pick 165)

Goff missed almost his entire rookie season due to a back injury.

In his second season, Goff played sparingly until Antonio Pierce suffered a season-ending injury. Goff started four games in what basically amounted to an audition for the 2010 starting middle linebacker job.

It’s hard to say that he passed the audition, although he didn’t fall flat on his face either. Goff finished the season with 25 tackles and an interception, although he somehow managed to not record a tackle in a game against the Eagles.

Goff is still developing, due to his lost rookie season, but it’s hard to imagine the team ever handing him a starting spot.

Grade: C+

Andre Woodson (Round 6, Pick 198)

At the time, selecting Woodson this late in the draft looked to be a shrewd move by Jerry Reese. Woodson was once considered a top QB talent whose stock had taken a fall before the draft.

The Giants planned to stockpile Woodson and develop him as a backup or trade him for draft picks. Unfortunately, Woodson could never adjust to NFL-level competition, and has since been released by the Giants.

Grade: D

Robert Henderson (Round 6 Pick 199)

Taken exactly one pick after Andre Woodson, the selection of Henderson, a defensive end, looked to be redundant given the Giants’ depth at the position.

But, the old adage “you can never have too many pass rushers” was used by fans and experts to explain the odd pick.

When Osi Umenyiora was lost for the season, there was suddenly a need for quality depth at defensive end. Unfortunately, Henderson had already injured his ankle and was soon released.

Grade: D

Overall Draft Grade: B+

After round three, there isn’t much to write home about.

Woodson and Henderson were wasted picks.

Goff and Kehl, can still be solid backups, but it looks like they are not equipped to be starters in the NFL.

But with the first three picks, the Giants added three high-impact players to their team.

It’s always better for a draft to be top-heavy than bottom-heavy because it means you are hitting on those premium picks and adding valuable players to your team.

Good value late in the draft can turn good drafts to great ones, but if you miss with those early picks, it’s hard to recover.

This is not a balanced draft, but its strong beginning makes it successful.

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.

Sorgi is best known for being Peyton Manning’s long-time backup.  In his quest to collect ‘em all, he now adds Eli to his personal Manning collection.  Up next is Cooper.