Why is Wynn a Giant?

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 7:00 AM EDT in News Comment 21 comments

So, what does the signing of defensive end Renaldo Wynn , a 12-year veteran, mean for the Giants?

Does it mean they think Michael Strahan is retiring? I don't know, but they are definitely hedging their bets.
Does it mean they would really like to keep Mathias Kiwanuka at linebacker, at least on running downs? Definitely.
Does it mean Wynn can expect a lot of playing time? Even if Strahan retires, the Giants have Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, as well as Dave Tollefson and Jay Alford, both of whom showed some ability last season. They also have sixth-round draft pick Robert Henderson.

Wynn played for Giants coach Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville. To me, this is simply a case of the Giants bringing in a player Coughlin respects to be absolutely certain they have enough depth on the defensive front.

Wynn won't be asked to do anything great. Just play an occasional series, defend the run and hold his own.

Renaldo Wynn

#99 / Defensive- End / New York Giants

Height: 6-3

Weight: 296

Born: Sep 02, 1974

College: Notre Dame

0 recs | Comment 21 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

ETVal

Glad you mentioned Tollefson in this mix. Forget which playoff game ,he came in one play to spell Strahan and promptly recorded a sack that was called back for a penalty. He’s a guy to at least keep an eye on.If Wynn even makes the club it will be as you mentioned to give guys a break on passing downs or maybe as a tackle for a series or 2.

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Jun 3, 2008 7:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That happened in the Tampa Bay game

I too had never even noticed Tollefson before that game. The Giants are super deep in pass rushers. I’m seeing a rotating force of D-linemen that will wreak havoc with QB’s next season. The Giants are obviously looking to build on what they did last season.

by MJ20 on Jun 3, 2008 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think if he makes the team

he’ll play inside a lot of the time. I think you’ll see a lot of fore DE alignments this year. I hope Pierce cna hold down the middle.

by TerraByte on Jun 3, 2008 7:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Strahan

The Giants are actually admitting that they are “hedging their bets” on Strahan.

Reese: “If Michael does retire it gives us a veteran who can play end and tackle. It gives us more veteran depth, instead of having too many young guys.

TC: “Quite frankly, in our situation, we’ll be a player down if Strahan does retire and we have to protect ourselves.”

Is this the first time they are admitting this publicly? If it is, then that’s probably not a good thing.

by potroast on Jun 3, 2008 9:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think

it is what they have to do.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the more former ND DEs, the merrier

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Jun 3, 2008 9:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

and sorry...

i didn’t know that wynn picture would be that big.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Jun 3, 2008 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's fine

I have no problem with pictures of the fighting irish.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is this the time...

to start posting the Instructions for Notre Dame Cookies?

by queler on Jun 3, 2008 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are there

Notre Dame cookies? Gimme, gimme, gimme!

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ingredients

1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Squad

DIRECTIONS

1) Place ingredients in a big bowl.
2) Beat mercilessly for 3 hours.

by queler on Jun 3, 2008 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

We’re talking about OLD-FASHIONED cookies here, not this Charlie Weis variety Notre Dame crud.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love the FA signings

the Giants have been making this off season, particularly that two of them are for guys TC drafted as rooks. They know him, he knows them, and each side knows what to expect of the other. In addition to the depth they provide, those two will provide cohesiveness in the locker room. The team is being strenghtened as a team.

by george cronin on Jun 3, 2008 10:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wynn

The funny thing is that it has taken until now for TC to bring in guys who played for him before. coaches usually do a lot of that in their first or second seasons in a new place, not after they have been entrenched this long. But, I have no problem with Clark or Wynn. Veteran depth is always good.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It might have been that guys he wanted weren't available.

didn’t he run into sime personnel problems during his last days in J?

by george cronin on Jun 3, 2008 12:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Personnel

problem in jacksonville was that he mismanaged the salary cap. he doesn’t have control of that with the giants, so it’s a non-issue. That’s Reese’s job.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was it? I thought

he had some disgruntled older players.

by george cronin on Jun 3, 2008 3:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

maybe he did

but after last seasons transformation, some of those old players want back in? I don’t think anyone’s ever doubted Coughlin’s football savvy, his problems have always been about his relationship with the players, and if that problem is solved, maybe guys who know of his knowledge up front want to come play for him…

...that, or like Etval said, it’s up to the GM and Accorsi and Reese just never went after Coughlin’s old guys before…

by cjmulrain on Jun 3, 2008 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was referring to older plaers in J when TC was there. The two guys the Giants just got

were TC rookie draft choices. Rookies accommodate themselves to whatever peculiarities their coaches might have. TC had trouble with the veteran FAs he got who many thought were washed up but actually had a few years left. He proved he knew what he was doing when he brought an expansion team to the playoffs so quickly. I don’t think TC would accept players who gave him problems in Jacksonville. I do think TC and Reese mutually agreed upon Wynn and Clark. In fact, my guess is TC advocated for them.

by george cronin on Jun 3, 2008 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs