Chase Blackburn Named Starting Middle LB
Gayle Saunders
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Last season there was no better cinderella story than Chase Blackburn’s as he went from being on the couch watching the game to playing linebacker for the World Champion New York Giants during their Super bowl Run.
This season things are still on the up and up for Blackburn, as Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said Blackburn is slated to be the starting middle linebacker for the Giants this season. That’s good news for Blackburn as the position was rumored to be a weak spot for the team.
Earlier this off season GM Jerry Reese said that Michael Boley could also be an option to play the middle linebacker spot, but Fewell has made it know Blackburn is his guy for now.
“(Mark) Herzlich will have an opportunity to compete for that role. Greg Jones will have an opportunity to compete for that role,” Fewell said, via the New York Daily News. “And we’re not opposed to putting Keith Rivers, giving him an opportunity to compete for that role. So there’s going to be competition.”
The Skinny: Blackburn will have his hands full hanging onto the starting role as he’ll have some serious competition with Keith Rivers and Greg Jones breathing down his neck to start. Blackburn has a lot of heart and he’s also in his 8th season, he’s come a long way to get this kind of recognition and I don’t think he’ll be ready to give that away too soon. Giants fans will have a nice training camp story to follow during the off season.
Giants: Meet The 2012 Draft Class
ROUND 1: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
The Giants released Brandon Jacobs and must replace the 150 carries he averaged the past two seasons. The starting running back, Ahmad Bradshaw, missed four games last year with continued foot problems. Wilson has great speed and is a big-play threat, not only from scrimmage but also catching passes out of the backfield and possibly as a kick returner.
The Giants consider Wilson’s balance to be outstanding and although he is only 5-9 he has a powerful build. A possible red flag: He fumbled the ball seven times last season.
Wilson should be in line for immediate playing time behind Ahmad Bradshaw. The holdovers on the roster — D.J. Ware, Da’Rel Scott and Andre Brown — have not proven much in their NFL careers. The Giants consider Wilson to be a starting running back down the road and believe he is durable and can handle a full load. Bradshaw, if healthy, remains the starter but the Giants have used a two-back system under Tom Coughlin and Wilson should be a strong addition.
Round 2: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
The loss in free agency of Mario Manningham to the 49ers left a void at No. 3 receiver and Randle should be able to challenge for that spot. He has excellent size and the Giants feel he has qualities in his game that could translate immediately into their offense. Randle’s production was not great at LSU but, based on their scouting, that was a direct result of sub-par play from the LSU quarterbacks and not any failing displayed by Randle.
The competition for the No. 3 receiver role for Randle will come from holdovers Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan and Domenik Hixon, three players who either haven’t proven anything (Barden), are coming off a rough rookie season (Jernigan) or are coming off a serious injury (Hixon). Randle is not considered much of a special teams player in terms of contributing in the return game, so he will have to get on the field based on his ability to adapt to an NFL offense.
Round 3: Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
The Giants think Hosley can develop into a nickel back even though he lacks ideal size. They like his competitive streak and his hands as he had 12 career interceptions and led the nation with nine in 2010. Much will depend on his maturity. Hosley failed a drug test at the Combine and the Giants have already discussed the situation with him. He will compete for time with returning players Michael Coe, Justin Tryon and Bruce Johnson.
The loss in free agency of Aaron Ross to the Jaguars leaves the Giants without a cornerback who started every game this past season. But, there are reinforcements in re-signed Terrell Thomas (coming off ACL surgery) and Prince Amukamara, the 2011 first-round pick, joining longtime starter Corey Webster. Hosley will be added into a mix of corners coming off injuries who were re-signed and he should get time on the field on special teams. He was a dangerous punt returner in college and the Giants say they will give him a shot at that job as a rookie.
ROUND 4: ADRIEN ROBINSON, TE, Cincinnati
Insurance is needed at the position, with Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum coming off ACL surgeries. Ballard might not play in 2012 and Beckum could miss half the season. Robinson can be viewed as something of a need pick, as he’s considered a pass-catching tight end yet had only 29 career receptions working in an offense in college that did not feature the tight end. The Giants signed Martellus Bennett from the Cowboys to hold down one tight end spot and Robinson will look to develop under the tutelage of Mike Pope, one of the top tight ends coaches in the NFL.
ROUND 4: BRANDON MOSLEY, OT, Auburn
The Giants longtime right tackle, Kareem McKenzie, was not re-signed and the search is on for his long-term replacement. It won’t be Mosley right away, as the plan is likely to move David Diehl from left to right tackle to make room for Will Beatty, who returns to left tackle after missing the last half of the 2011 season with a detached retina. Mosley has excellent size (6-5, 318) and long arms but needs to get stronger to compete in the NFL at right tackle.
ROUND 6: MATT MCCANTS, OT, Alabama-Birmingham
Another tackle arrives in the late rounds but this one is a left tackle prospect who is late coming to the game. He was a tuba player in high school who left the band to hit the field. He will need to bulk up but has athletic skills and will certainly have time to develop, as there is no place to play him immediately with the way the offensive line is presently configured. He started 42 games at left tackle at UAB.
ROUND 7: MARKUS KUHN, DT, North Carolina State
A German native, he started only one year at N.C. State and the Giants feel he is still learning the game. Still, he has excellent strength and aggressiveness. The Giants signed veteran Shaun Rogers in free agency prior to the draft for insurance in the interior of their defensive line and have Marvin Austin, last year’s second-round pick, returning from injury. Kuhn will fight for a spot on the roster.
Pre Draft Visits: New York Giants
By Gayle Saunders
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League rules allow each team to bring in 30 players for predraft visits. No on-field work is allowed. The visits are simply an opportunity for the players to sit down with the coaches, as well as the personnel people, for any additional questions, football or otherwise.
Not every player accepts every invitation he receives, so teams don’t always get the first 30 players they requested. But coaches often will look at video with players to get a sense of their football awareness, or put them to work, marker in hand, on the dry-erase board to see how they dissect certain game situations.
One important fact to note from last years draft is, 21 of the NFL’s 32 1st round selections had confirmed pre-draft visits and/or workouts with the NFL teams they were selected by. So there is a good shot that the players below will get drafted if they’re on the board during the teams draft selection.
Below we’ll be updating the chart of pre-draft visits, if you have a player visit you’d like us to add to the chart leave a comment and I’ll add it. Thanks for your help in advance!
LAST UPDATED 4/20/12
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New York Giants
Matt Simms – QB from Tennessee
Austin Davis- QB from Southern Miss
Cyrus Gray -RB from Texans A&M
Michael Smith- RB from Utah State
Kendall Wright -WR from Baylor
Mohamed Sanu -WR from Rutgers
Rueben Randle – WR from LSU
Devon Wylie – WR from Fresno State
Jake Byrne -TE from Wisconsin
Adam Nissley -TE from Central Florida
Adrien Robinson- TE from Cincinnati
Donald Stephenson- OT from Oklahoma
James Carmon- T/G from Mississippi State
Ronnie Cameron- DT from Old Dominion
Josue Ortiz -DE from Harvard
Dont’a Hightower- LB from Alabama
Matt Broha -LB from Louisiana Tech
Ryan Davis -LB from Bethune-Cookman
Korey Toomer -LB from Idaho
Tahir Whitehead- LB from Temple
Omar Bolden -CB from Arizona State
Jerron McMillian- S from Maine
Matt Daniels -S from Duke
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Jake Ballard Could Miss all of 2012 Season
Gayle Saunders
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The Bergen Record is reporting that Eli Mannings favorite tight end, Jake Ballard had microfracture knee surgery on top of the ACL procedure.
Ballard did most of the damage to his knee when he was testing out his knee on the sideline after he tore his ACL in the 4th quarter of that game. The bad news, Ballard could be facing 6 more weeks of rehab on top of the 8 to 9 months he was already going to miss from reconstructive knee surgery.
Ballard is a lock for the PUP list, but from the looks of it, he could miss the whole season. Ballard’s best bet is to wait for his knee to heal 100 percent and wait for a return in 2013, in my opinion.
The Skinny: The giants have already signed Martellus Bennett as his replacement, but maybe the Giants look at drafting Dwayne Allen from Clemson. He’s the kind of draft pick that could immediately upgrade the position and compete with Bennett.
Giants Working out Trade for Keith Rivers
Gayle Saunders
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Adam Schefter has reported that the Giants are trying to work out a trade for Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers.
Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network said that if all goes well the deal could be done by the end of the day. Rivers must pass a physical first which could be a roadblock due to his line of injuries in the past.
The Skinny: The Bengals have given up on the hope of Rivers staying healthy, He’s a good linebacker but his injury list consists plantar fasciitis, a broken jaw, ankle surgery, a severe calf strain, and wrist surgery all over the past four seasons. If he comes to the Giants it will probably cost the Gmen around a 5th round pick. If he comes in healthy Rivers could be worth the gamble for that price. Rivers would defintely fill a need for the Giants.
New York Giants
Team Needs and Draft: Depending on what happens with their key free agents, strengthening the secondary could be a tough task. Offensive line, linebacker, and possibly running back will also be focal points of both free agency and the 2012 NFL Draft.
After a team wins a Super Bowl, the best strategic measure is often to simply pick the best player on the board in the first round. Unfortunately, winning the big salami obviously means the Giants will be 32nd in line come draft time. That said, if linebacker Dont’a Hightower of Alabama is sitting there, the G-Men might very well pick him up. Ditto Miami RB Lamar Miller.
2012 Draft Picks
1.32, 2.32, 3.32, 4.32, 5.32, 6.32, 7.32
Free Agent Signings
QB Ryan Perrilloux, RB Andre Brown, TE Martellus Bennett, S Stevie Brown
2011 Draft Picks
1st: Prince Amukamara (CB) Nebraska
2nd: Marvin Austin (DT) UNC
3rd: Jerrel Jernigan (WR) Troy
4th: James Brewer (OT) Indiana
6th: Greg Jones (ILB) Mich St
6th: Tyler Sash (S) Iowa
6th: Jacquian Williams (LB) S Florida
7th: Da’Rel Scott (RB) Maryland
St. Louis Rams Take a Flier on Steve Smith
Gayle Saunders
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The St.Louis Rams have took a flier on WR Steve Smith and signed him to a one-year deal.
The former Eagle had a tough time in 2011 cracking the line up and was riding pine behind DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, and Riley Cooper. Smith was one of the top slot receivers in 2009 and set records with the Giants. He was injured in 2010 and was dealing with his micro fracture surgery and never quite returned to form in 2011.
The Skinny: If Smith returns to full health, he could be a solid option, the key word is “healthy” here though. At this point Smith is looking to land a spot as a possession receiver for the Rams. Can he push Danny Amendola for a starting spot in 2012 is the question.
Giants Sign TE Martellus Bennett
Gayle Saunders
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The New York Giants have made it known that they were looking for a tight end via free agency. Not wasting anytime the Giants have officially signed Martellus Bennett to a 1 year deal worth $2.5 million.
Martellus Bennett announced on his Twitter account
“I’m officially a New York Giant”
The Skinny: With the Giants tight ends Jake Ballard & Travis Beckum going down in Super Bowl XLVI it was important that the G-men made move at that position. Both Ballard and Beckum will most likely be on the PUP list for beginning of 2012 which means they will miss the first 6 weeks. Bennett could represent the athletic target Eli Manning could be looking for. Bennett is also a very sound run blocker.
Could Bart Scott Be a New York Giant?
By Gayle Saunders
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The New York Daily News is reporting that the New York Jets and Bart Scott could be heading for a divorce. Team officials met with Scott’s agent at the NFL combine and Scott’s agent Harold Lewis voiced Bart’s concerns about his role in the Jets defense. Scott was “extremely frustrated” with the way he was used last season.
Lewis revealed that although a potential trade was in the talks, they didn’t request for a trade and they didn’t get permission to seek one. Scott wants to stay with the Jets and that is Scott’s “ultimate goal” for 2012.
However according to Scott’s agent, he added
“If we can’t fix what’s broken, there will be other opportunities.”
Could the New York Giants be a new home for the 32 year old linebacker? According to the Lewis that’s where he would go “in a heart beat”. New York Giants are you listening?
The Skinny: Jets are prepared to move on from Scott, however Scott is owed a guaranteed $4.2 million salary this season. There is no way around that for the Jets unless they get someone to pick up that salary for them. Since he took a $1 million dollar cut in salary in 2011, he got a guaranteed $4.2 million for this season.
Look for the Jets to trade Scott for a late pick in the late rounds of the draft, In which Scott would have to restructure the deal to make the trade happen. If Bart Scott gets cut out right that would be best case scenario, as he would collect from the Jets and also get a new contract from a new team.
With the Jets going for younger blood and a new change of attitude in the locker room, it looks like Scott’s days as a Jet are numbered.
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