But it was time to move on. Very tough decision. He played really well last year but was a shell of himself since 2009 save the playoffs of 2011. Can't pay everyone when you have a franchise QB making $$$.
My overall guess is that this FA we gained more quality than we lost
The Giants had 25m or so in cap space and generated even more when DRC became available. They were masterful in getting a lot of bang for their buck as well as signing high priced guys like Beason and DRC. It was an excellent offseason FA and cap wise.
well as the other 31 teams in the league by way of the late boost in the unadjusted cap that occurred. That allowed them to not restructure/extend Rolle IMO. Instead, they'll let his contract expire, and then decide what to do with him at the end of the year. This will give them MUCH more leverage from a cap standpoint. It's never good to get hamstrung by the contract of a veteran player over 20 who's been productive for you in the past. Loyalty has the potential to get in the way of projected production contract-wise.
I leave that stuff to Optimus-NY and others. However, when you look at what the Giants paid for Geoff Schwartz, Robert Ayers, DRC, and J.D. Walton, and compare their contracts with those of Jon Asamoah, Justin Tuck, Aqib Talib, and Evan Dietrich-Smith, it seems to me that the Giants got a number of bargains without having to go all the way down to the basement.
I can kick about a couple of things, but overall I thought Reese had a good Spring.
was Joseph, but it was clear to me that the Giants didn't think he was necessary. They threw money around like drunkin sailors and they barely tried, if at all, to sign Joseph. I'm not suggesting that Joseph isn't as good as I thought he was, but I think the Giants either don't value him or his position as much or they like who they have on the roster.
But DE pass rusher is a position that worries me a bit along with DT. With that said there are young talented players in the pipeline that will get a chance. Step right up mr Moore and Hankins...
A lot of 2nd and 3rd and even 4th year players will need to step up this season and emerge. I think we are in good shape.
By the emphasis on the OL. The Giants had some major holes in the Offensive Line that had to be addressed. The only sure so starter from last year is Pugh. The pieces have to come together in camp and the preseason, but I'm much more confident in the OL going into this season than the past 3-5 years. Let's hope Eli thinks so too...
because when he is healthy, he is a two-way DE and you can count those on the fingers of one hand. I would have kept him, especially if he would have signed for 2/8 as he claimed.
Joseph was tough to lose but I agree with letting him walk.
Nicks: the situation had deteriorated so much that the Giants really had no choice.
So you can't really debate letting Osi or Boley go.
This year when it turns out we had a lot of cap space I wonder about Joseph, a home grown high draft pick who seemed like he might be ready for a big year. Four sacks last year.
I also wonder about Tuck. A respected team leader and a two ring vet. Of course his play had gone downhill. But he admitted in the middle of 2011 that he had been thinking about retirement. So is it fair to say that he wasn't playing and training at full speed in the first half of 2011 and most of 2012. But he showed he could turn it on again in the 2011 playoffs. And at the end of last season maybe after he started reading in the papers that he might be waived.
And who do we have behind him except Kiwanuka. I'm thinking and hoping that Kiwi has been jerked around so much by the Giants that this year with him set finally in the end position that he's going to give it all he's got and have his best season.
But still, hate to see all the Super Bowl winners move on.
but if you gave me the choice of DRC or Joseph i'd probably take DRC. IT's close...but at least the Giants used that money on an impact player and DRC is definitely an impact player.
in actual play, and Tuck, sentimentally.
5 years of 'meh' drafting, and 'projects', plus hanging on to veterans to return to form, plus ignoring LB and OL,= we still have holes to address, but we are better from this offseason. Even though it may take a while to jell with 29 new guys on the roster.
COMPLACENT at camp; will last until the first cutdown day, if that.
Gotta love it.
the comparisons to rival teams, the questions about the GM, the HC, the 'retired' OC, it's still nice to be a Giants Fan!
77 yrs. a long time to love one team.
So you can't really debate letting Osi or Boley go.
This year when it turns out we had a lot of cap space I wonder about Joseph, a home grown high draft pick who seemed like he might be ready for a big year. Four sacks last year.
I also wonder about Tuck. A respected team leader and a two ring vet. Of course his play had gone downhill. But he admitted in the middle of 2011 that he had been thinking about retirement. So is it fair to say that he wasn't playing and training at full speed in the first half of 2011 and most of 2012. But he showed he could turn it on again in the 2011 playoffs. And at the end of last season maybe after he started reading in the papers that he might be waived.
And who do we have behind him except Kiwanuka. I'm thinking and hoping that Kiwi has been jerked around so much by the Giants that this year with him set finally in the end position that he's going to give it all he's got and have his best season.
But still, hate to see all the Super Bowl winners move on.
I keep forgetting we even have Kiwanuka on the team.
He has got to have a good year. Depending on Moore is a big risk. Kiwanuka has proven he could do it before. He should be getting some of the most playing time of his career.
our very respectable interior defense fares without Joseph this year. We shut down the run last year and did an overall good job the second half of the season ending up in the top ten. If we regress then it was a huge mistake to let LJ walk.
to have found a way to keep Joseph but the pragmatist in me knows that it wasn't feasible. Tuck will always be a favorite of mine, but letting him walk was probably the right thing to do as well. I think we had a decent offseason, of course the only thing that really matters is how it translates on game day which remains to be seen.
But I feel pretty good about things so far. There are still big questions, but there was always going to be that given the state of the roster coming off of last season. We all knew big turnover was coming.
The whole coaching staff is on a 2 year deal. Basically it's a 1 year deal since we don't let coaches coach in their last year. Eli, AR, Wilson and RR have 2 year deals too. MM and JJ have 1 year deals.
I am curious to see what happens to everyone else in the future. If we suck or need a rebuilding year, I think things will get interesting in terms of coaching staff and even making a decision on Eli. Either way, good for bad, we will make a decision on Eli. Extend his contract or decide to turn the page.
Bingo. To me the cap discussion is so far off the table.And the decision was ownership.
It's never good to get hamstrung by the contract of a veteran player over 30 who's been productive for you in the past.
I can kick about a couple of things, but overall I thought Reese had a good Spring.
A lot of 2nd and 3rd and even 4th year players will need to step up this season and emerge. I think we are in good shape.
Joseph was tough to lose but I agree with letting him walk.
Nicks: the situation had deteriorated so much that the Giants really had no choice.
Baas: should have been done the year before.
This year when it turns out we had a lot of cap space I wonder about Joseph, a home grown high draft pick who seemed like he might be ready for a big year. Four sacks last year.
I also wonder about Tuck. A respected team leader and a two ring vet. Of course his play had gone downhill. But he admitted in the middle of 2011 that he had been thinking about retirement. So is it fair to say that he wasn't playing and training at full speed in the first half of 2011 and most of 2012. But he showed he could turn it on again in the 2011 playoffs. And at the end of last season maybe after he started reading in the papers that he might be waived.
And who do we have behind him except Kiwanuka. I'm thinking and hoping that Kiwi has been jerked around so much by the Giants that this year with him set finally in the end position that he's going to give it all he's got and have his best season.
But still, hate to see all the Super Bowl winners move on.
5 years of 'meh' drafting, and 'projects', plus hanging on to veterans to return to form, plus ignoring LB and OL,= we still have holes to address, but we are better from this offseason. Even though it may take a while to jell with 29 new guys on the roster.
COMPLACENT at camp; will last until the first cutdown day, if that.
Gotta love it.
77 yrs. a long time to love one team.
The Cowboys had to cut Ware because they've bungled their cap. The Giants have never been in such a position.
This year when it turns out we had a lot of cap space I wonder about Joseph, a home grown high draft pick who seemed like he might be ready for a big year. Four sacks last year.
I also wonder about Tuck. A respected team leader and a two ring vet. Of course his play had gone downhill. But he admitted in the middle of 2011 that he had been thinking about retirement. So is it fair to say that he wasn't playing and training at full speed in the first half of 2011 and most of 2012. But he showed he could turn it on again in the 2011 playoffs. And at the end of last season maybe after he started reading in the papers that he might be waived.
And who do we have behind him except Kiwanuka. I'm thinking and hoping that Kiwi has been jerked around so much by the Giants that this year with him set finally in the end position that he's going to give it all he's got and have his best season.
But still, hate to see all the Super Bowl winners move on.
I keep forgetting we even have Kiwanuka on the team.
He has got to have a good year. Depending on Moore is a big risk. Kiwanuka has proven he could do it before. He should be getting some of the most playing time of his career.
I think we've done pretty good overall.
But I feel pretty good about things so far. There are still big questions, but there was always going to be that given the state of the roster coming off of last season. We all knew big turnover was coming.
I am curious to see what happens to everyone else in the future. If we suck or need a rebuilding year, I think things will get interesting in terms of coaching staff and even making a decision on Eli. Either way, good for bad, we will make a decision on Eli. Extend his contract or decide to turn the page.
So I think our turnover isn't done yet.
Both guys coming off serious injuries and have to re-establish themselves quite a bit.
Neither deal blows the cap but just sayin'...