Giant Football Blog

Michael Strahan: $8M or goodbye

Michael Strahan doesn't appear to be close to announcing his future plans, but there is something the Giants could do to push things along. They could give him $8 million. That's the amount Strahan hopes to get from the Giants for what would likely be his final season with the team - and possibly in the NFL - if he decides to return to play in 2008, according to two sources familiar with his situation.

That would be double the $4 million salary he's due this season in the final year of the seven-year, $46 million deal he signed in 2002. Continue

Wynn visits with Big Blue

The Giants in last month's NFL Draft did not select any defensive linemen, but they may be interested in adding an experienced player to that position for depth purposes. With that in mind, on Wednesday they brought in Renaldo Wynn, an 11-year veteran who back in 1997 was a first-round draft pick of the Jaguars, then coached by Tom Coughlin.

Wynn, 33, left without signing a contract, but that doesn't mean he won't in the near future. "Good visit," said Peter Schaffer, Wynn's agent. "We shall see. He renewed a number of old acquaintances." Already this offseason, the Giants signed linebacker Danny Clark, the first former Coughlin player to come aboard. Wynn has played for the Jaguars and Redskins and last season had 31/2sacks for the Saints. He's a 6-3, 296-pound defensive end who has the bulk to move inside to tackle. Continue

Michael Strahan has a plan about future but keeps it quiet

Michael Strahan has made his decision about whether or not to play again in 2008. He's just not ready to say it. The future Hall of Famer said Wednesday night that he's "pretty much" made up his mind whether to retire or to continue his NFL career. And without dropping any hints about which way he's leaning, he said he won't make any announcements until he's absolutely sure.

"I'll be honest with you, I pretty much know what I'm going to do right now," Strahan said Wednesday night at Cipriani in Manhattan, where he was a presenter at the Dreams in the City fundraiser for the Diabetes Research Institute. "But you know what the thing is? If I say it, I can't change my mind. So I would rather wait until I know I'm 100% sure that when I say what I'm going to do, I'm going to do it." Continue

Jints snap into action

A few weeks ago, kicker Lawrence Tynes lamented the fact that the Giants last season were the only team in the NFL that did not employ a long-snapping specialist. Instead, they split the job between two rookies, linebacker Zak DeOssie for punts and defensive tackle Jay Alford for field goals and extra points.

Not wanting to recreate that scenario next season, the Giants signed seven players who were invited to last week's rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis, including Nick Leeson, of Virginia Tech, who is exclusively a long snapper. Continue

Giants ink former Rutgers product

Nate Robinson, a defensive tackle who once was one of the most heralded recruits in Rutgers history, signed Monday with the Giants. The 6-5, 315-pounder was one of seven players to be offered a contract after a weekend tryout. He was joined by OT Jacob Hobbs (Albany), DT Brian Soi (Utah), DE Alex Morrow (USC), CB Miguel Scott (N.C. State), S Terrance Stringer (Tuskegee) and long-snapper Nick Leeson (Virginia Tech). Continue

Andre' Woodson miffed by Giant drop

One year ago, Andre' Woodson was discussed as a Heisman Trophy contender. He was considered to be one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Then he went out and had a good senior year. So how was he still sitting there for the Giants near in the sixth round of the NFL draft? Don't bother asking him.

"I really don't know," Woodson said over the weekend at the Giants' rookie mini-camp. "I think a lot of people still to this day don't really know why I dropped as much as I did." Continue

Kevin Gilbride says Jeremy Shockey's future up for grabs

Kevin Gilbride recently told Jeremy Shockey he wants him back as a featured part of his offense. But the Giants' offensive coordinator admitted he doesn't know if that will happen.

"It's so nebulous right now, you just have no idea," Gilbride said. "Right now he's on our team. We're planning on him being there. He'll be one of the guys that we'll look to feature and one of the guys that we'll look to depend on. Hopefully he'll be here in good spirits and ready to do the things that we know he's capable of doing. But who knows? It's certainly beyond my hands." Continue

One Giant playmaker

Kenny Phillips is sure he can handle what is required of him as a first-round draft pick of the Giants. He knows he must purchase doughnuts for the veterans during the season. "I can do doughnuts," Phillips said. He knows he will be asked (more like told) to sing the Miami fight song or some other ditty on the first day of training camp. "I think if I sound pretty good, they might not ask me to do it anymore," Phillips reasoned.

He grimaced when informed he will be expected to take the defensive backs out to an expensive dinner. Then he brightened a bit when reminded that dinner will come only after he signs his first NFL contract. Continue

Woodson and Manningham hurt

QB Andre Woodson (sixth round) and WR Mario Manningham (third round) were both injured today during the morning practice at rookie minicamp. Woodson pulled up lame on a rollout to the left. He was taken to the cart on the side and did not return to practice. Looked like a left quad issue. Manningham hurt himself while running a deep hook route. He suffered a hip flexor injury. Both players are likely out for this afternoon. Continue

Mario Manningham is a test case

For the first time in more than four months, Mario Manningham didn't have to worry about Wonderlic tests, drug tests or any of the controversies that have been swirling around him. He was out on the football field, doing what he does best. And he sounded very relieved.

"When it's all said and done, what are we out here doing?" Manningham said Friday after the first practice of the Giants' two-day rookie mini-camp. "We're not out here talking about that stuff. We're out here to play football. So I'm not really worried about that." Continue