When you think of a rookie mini camp, you think of players that just finished college and are trying to make an NFL team. But the tryout is also for NFL veterans that are currently free agents and looking to extend their NFL careers.
I was a bit surprised to see the ages of some of those invited this weekend. Here are a few notes on 4 of them:
Chris Scott G- 6'4" 345 pounds
Univ of Tenn. Scott is 30 years old and was drafted back in 2010 by the Steelers in the 5th round. He has had very limited game time, but his connection is Gettleman, as Scott was with Carolina for over 3 years.
Deji Olatoye-CB- 6'1" 205 pounds
N. Carolina A & T. Olatoye is 26 years old and has played for 5 different NFL teams. His biggest moment in his career-playing for the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl vs the Patriots and making two tackles in that game.
Chris Lewis-Harris CB- 5'10" 180 pounds
Chattanooga. Lewis-Harris is 29 years old and has played for 3 different NFL teams. Last year he was with the Denver Broncos, though he spent most of his career with the Bengals, along with a brief stop with the Baltimore Ravens
Earl Okine DE-6'6 1/2" 290 pounds
Univ of Florida. Okine is 28 years old. He has played for 5 different NFL teams, as well as playing in the Canadian league and in Arena Football. Last year he was under James Bettcher, as a member of the Arizona Cardinals practice squad.
Do you give players of these ages a spot on your 90 man roster because they have prior NFL experience, or do you leave those spots for younger players? It is a question that we will know the answer shortly.
If you include the draft picks that are not yet signed, the Giants roster is full with 90 players. Whether it is any of these four veteran players, or any of the total of 36 players the Giants have in this weekend on a tryout, their decision to give a roster spot to a tryout player, means releasing someone already on the 90 man roster.
With the injury to Paul Perkins, I expected we would have seen several running backs in this weekend for tryouts. The only running back here on a tryout is Robert Martin of Rutgers (who Patti Traina mentioned positively in her practice article).
The Giants don't currently have enough running back bodies to get through training camp. If it is not Robert Martin, then it will be someone else added.
It was reported he had already signed with the Jets, so I was surprised he is here this weekend at a Giants tryout.
He had a bad ankle injury and was unable to workout until recently. He even sat out the North Carolina Pro Day because of the ankle.
If the Giants do offer a contract to any of the 36 tryout players, I think the corresponding player release(s) would be at cornerback.
Or Portugal (for that matter)... - ( New Window )
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A name I was surprised to see was LT Bentley Spain from North Carolina. He had a Day 3 grade, but went undrafted.
I checked several different sources and none of them had a Day 3 grade on Spain. Or Portugal (for that matter)... - ( New Window )
Did you check
Iberian?
Quote:
A name I was surprised to see was LT Bentley Spain from North Carolina. He had a Day 3 grade, but went undrafted.
I checked several different sources and none of them had a Day 3 grade on Spain. Or Portugal (for that matter)... - ( New Window )
Most draft guides had Spain as a Preferred FA but 2,DraftNasty w/a 5th round grade(19th OT overall) & Optimum Scouting w/a 5.2 grade that projects to a 7th round pick had day 3 grades. I must have more draft guides than you! Nice job YANKEE28!
On a separate note, I would not read too much into what positions tried out as a player who received a tryout offer from the Giants may have chosen a tryout with another team and scheduling conflict occurred. Perkins was cut late in the process and, if everyone else stays healthy, there really isn’t a RB spot available on the 53 man unless the player is by far one of our best special teamers in camp.
He is the all time leading tackler for South Florida.
If you watch any South Florida games, he is always near the play and strong at tackling. Very instinctive player.
The BIG knock on Sanchez is his speed. At his Pro Day, he ran a 5.10 forty. Pretty hard to move up to the next level with a time like that, but his tape is far more impressive than his forty time.
Why do quality organizations focus on team speed, particularly on the reactive side of the ball?
You’re right that 5.1 is crazy slow. Then again, Burfict ran a 5.09, and speed isn’t his problem. There might be more to the USF pro day story.
Most draft guides had Spain as a Preferred FA but 2,DraftNasty w/a 5th round grade(19th OT overall) & Optimum Scouting w/a 5.2 grade that projects to a 7th round pick had day 3 grades. I must have more draft guides than you!
Ranking the draftniks based on their Top 100 - ( New Window )