Breaking news: Wilkinson to IR; Giants sign DB

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 10:35 AM EST in News Comment 41 comments

The New York Giants have placed injured linebacker Gerris Wilkinson on Injured Reserve and signed rookie defensive back Dominque 'D.J. Johnson off Denver's practice squad.

Here is Patricia Traina of Inside Football on Johnson.

Johnson, who transferred from Missouri after starting four games as a redshirt sophomore in 2006, was a A 2008 first-team All-SWAC pick after having intercepted 10 passes and deflecting 27 in his first two seasons with the Tigers.

Although the Giants seem pretty much set at corner, my gut feeling is that they brought Johnson on board not only because they play Denver in two weeks, but more importantly because he is a playmakerwho also happens to have experience playing free safety. He also was a standout on special teams for Missouri State, where he played prior to transferring to Jackson State.

Mike Garafolo offered a similar opinion.

Johnson is a corner by trade but played some safety in college. Plus, scouting reports before the draft indicated he might be better suited to play safety. The Giants need safety help, so perhaps that's where he's destined to play.

My take: Now don't go and think this kid will suddenly solve all of the Giants problems at safety, especially immediately. GM Jerry Reese has a history of plucking useful players off other teams during the season, though (think Dave Tollefson, Domenik Hixon, Madison Hedgecock among others). Maybe Johnson turns out to be the next one.

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Queston

Why did they not do this three weeks ago….

Let’s hope the guy is a good pick up not only for next season but this one as well!

On the other side of the coin this may not be safety help but that Ross is not getting better anytime soon and we need another cornerback!

by G Fan in England on Nov 11, 2009 10:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

yea I agree..

I’m sure Wilkenson was actually out on the field during ST… and considering Kehl had a broken finger I think maybe that’s why they inactivated him a couple times.

But Wilkenson is a waste. Its a shame, cuz he definitely had “Boley” type talent but just could never stay on the field (really sucks when players who are very talented just can’t overcome injuries).

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 11, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Because

they did not have a roster spot three weeks ago.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But pretty soon ...

they need to fish or cut bait on Ross, and his roster spot. How the hell can a hamstring “pull” (I never read it was a “tear”) go on this long ?

by Shofner85 on Nov 11, 2009 11:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can't remember when Ross....

injured his hammy, but I tore mine two years ago and the doc told me that it was a twelve week heal. That was for me. I don’t know the time table for a professional athelete with doctors and a training facility.

by njgiant on Nov 11, 2009 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

meh its tricky

the giants believed that they had the right 53 guys on the roster, its tough to go back and say that the guys you kept over the guys you cut were the wrong decisions. plus this isn’t a team that has knee jerk reactions, if you change the roster a little bit everytime you lose a game then you’re left with a wildly different team at the end of the season.

by cntrlalt on Nov 11, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

When you are in charge

you get paid to make not only correct but quick decisions so that things do not get out of hand.

This is not baseball where we have another 100 games to play.

We have waited on some players too long to perform (Moss, Wilkinson are but two) when we could have easily picked up a replacement who might be better.

You look at the NFL transactions and teams are moving players all the time.

Whilst I applaud loyalty it does also cause you to be blind to the truth sometimes.

by G Fan in England on Nov 11, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

MIGHT be better is the key word there

None of these guys are going to be pro bowl caliber unless we’re really lucky.

Not saying that some of these guys shouldn’t be let go, but its a risky proposition. THe guy you get may be just as bad as the guy he replaces.

The Cowboys are the France of the NFL
-thwalls

On 3rd down, throw it to Smith.

by Willgfass on Nov 11, 2009 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now don't go and think this kid will suddenly solve all of the Giants problems at safety, especially immediately.

Darn…I thought this was the missing link…the last piece needed to make this SB run!!!

LOL.

but seriously Gfan is right….i can’t believe we waited for that waste of space Wilkinson to get hurt before we went out and got help in the secondary.

"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT

by andiamo708 on Nov 11, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wilkinson

The guy has been a bust at LB, I know that. We all do. The Giants have always felt, though, that he was a good special teams guy, and we know they value those guys highly since they just don’t have enough of them. He has done a good job there. So, not a total waste of space.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

???

Anyone think the Giants are one of the ‘surprise teams’ that may be looking at Larry Johnson?

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 11, 2009 11:16 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hope not

by G Fan in England on Nov 11, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

no

emphatically no.

by cntrlalt on Nov 11, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LJ hangs out in new york, a lot

i’ve seen him out at clubs and bars quite a few times and have had girl friends that have been out with him….he’s a world class dick, think plaxico but with an H-bomb strapped to his leg instead of a gun.

no way they’d bring this tool onto the team.

by cntrlalt on Nov 11, 2009 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Aaron ross has a better shot of reclaiming his starting job this year than LJ has of coming on board.

and I think you know I don’t think too highly of Aaron “wally pipp” Ross getting his job back.

"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT

by andiamo708 on Nov 11, 2009 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess ^^^all answer's the question....

lol…

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 11, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why

on earth would they do that?

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 11:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

as far as the character...no idea.

But I was thinking since Jake and AB are pretty banged up and LJ may have something left in the tank?

Meh…not even wishful thinking I guess.

I was just watching sportcenter and the dude from ESPN said there was 2 teams that people would be surprised that are interested in LJ. I know not to believe ESPN…but still…

I can’t think of a bigger surprise than the Giants.

Not saying I’d agree with it either

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 11, 2009 11:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Patriots and Steelers???

by njgiant on Nov 11, 2009 1:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Steelers would be yea..

Patriots? They’ve had plenty of knuckleheads drink the Belicheck kool-aid and do well for em.

That’s not a surprise at all (tho its ESPN saying it..so who knows?)

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 11, 2009 1:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

actually,

The Pats would be fantastic with LJ, all they lack is a great RB

You play to win the game!

by Simms-McConkey on Nov 11, 2009 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

please no

we don’t want that [anti-gay slur]

You play to win the game!

by Simms-McConkey on Nov 11, 2009 12:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In the words of Whitney Houston

Hell to the No!

by njgiant on Nov 11, 2009 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Larry Johnson

I don’t even think the Redskins would bring this cancer in for a visit. Maybe we will all luck out and the Cowboys or Eagles sign LJ.

by Late for Dinner on Nov 11, 2009 4:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

For anyone counting...

thats 5 Johnson’s on the roster. We’re starting to look like the ravens a few years back when they had a small village of players named Lewis.

by LosGiantes08 on Nov 11, 2009 12:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

LOL

by potroast on Nov 11, 2009 12:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Remember in the mid 90’s when the Giants had the 4 or 5 Cory’s

by Late for Dinner on Nov 11, 2009 4:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

rumor has it....

there’s been an Aaron Ross sighting…he’s actually at practice…and participating.

"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT

by andiamo708 on Nov 11, 2009 12:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Historical Cornerback issues

Miami drafts two cornerbacks and they both start and do a good job. We draft corners and if and when they ever make into the starting line up, they always have hamstring issues. If you’re a corner and you can’t come back from a hamstring then you need to be traded or cut. At some point conditioning your body to play falls to you.

As much promise as Ross had, it useless because he’s on the bench.

By the time we get a good corner starting opposite Webster, he’ll start having issues because of how he’s had to play in a crappy secondary.

Looks like we’ll have several open spots coming into next years draft. Secondary and LB leap to mind.

Hell if making this team in the secondary just means you sit the bench with a hammy, I’ll pull mine as I’m signing the contract.

Come on Jerry, work your magic man. The Patriots change players, coaches, lose the starting QB and still remain very competitive. We loose a Safety and this deck of cards falls down. Can some explain that to me?

That seems to be an approach issue

by EverBlue on Nov 11, 2009 12:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Reese

has always done a good job with personnel, but no one can be perfect. C.C. Brown is turning out to be a mistake, but Reese really hasn’t made many. The Giants are in excellent hands with him making the personnel decisions.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll add too

As i said this awhile back, even though the CC signing seems bad (no pun), but it’s the expectation that M. Johnson and KP can play injury free while CC chips in with minor contributions from time to time. Nothing to do with any intentions of CC starting, though it back fired, and we move on!

As for Ross, theres no reason to knee jerk the situation and IR him, as some were suggesting. It’s a hammy that requires time, and at the time of this discussion, this is what happened. Time is all that was needed and it now appears he’s going to be practicing and if all goes well, he’ll be a welcomed addition down the stretch.

by Hootman on Nov 11, 2009 1:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well the bye comes at a perfect time.

Maybe this D can reload and right the ship.

by njgiant on Nov 11, 2009 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the mistake....

was thinking that this guy was a capable of being a starting FS in the NFL.

“Brown is a physical player who will come down to the line of scrimmage,” Tom Coughlin said (when they signed him)

Yet, we’ve hardly ever asked him to play near the line…we knew he was weak in coverage yet we ask him to play FS in a zone scheme.

I don’t think that’s necessarily JR’s fault…that falls more on the coaching staff…but my point is, I don’t see anyone forming a lynch mob to go after Aaron Rouse and that’s due to the defensive scheme in which he was asked to play in vs. SD.

if Sheridan goes back to Zone Rouse will be just as bad if not worse than CC Brown…

"If you don't know what you're doing... just rush the quarterback" - LT

by andiamo708 on Nov 11, 2009 1:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

JR

He has done a great job, I wish he would be a little more agressive becuae I think the Giants window is now not latter but overall nobody can complain with his results

by Late for Dinner on Nov 11, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Window

He knows the window is now. The window is pretty much the length of Eli’s contract, to be honest. They will do what they think is right, but their philosophy on the 53-man is different than New England’s, for example. They don’t bring in the one-year veteran kind of guys very often.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

JR's Window

Ed believe me I know JR is one of the best in the business. I think the window is a lot shorter than’s Eli’s contract more like 4 to 5 years and than we wil have to build major parts of the team again. I wish JR would gamble a little more like Ernie did in filling some of our openings with veterans instead of developing young guys. Having said all of that I got no complaints about JR at all his way works just fine.

by Late for Dinner on Nov 11, 2009 5:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

But I think you constantly have to rebuild parts of your team, like the Giants have had to do at WR. To me, if you have a franchise QB the window is always open, that’s why I said the length of Eli’s contract. Now, I know you have to fill pieces around him, but the franchise QB always needs to be there to be consistently good.

by Ed Valentine on Nov 11, 2009 8:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

speakingof players

Did anyone see that the Raiders re-signed William Joseph? Boy what a standout player he was in NY…ugh

by Mopey Dick on Nov 11, 2009 1:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Legend of Willie Jo

I don’t know Mopey right about now I might take Willie Jo instead of Rocky Benard. Both of them suck up space in the lockeroom only the Raiders are paying Willie Jo less money.

by Late for Dinner on Nov 11, 2009 4:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ross .. really? Who cares ..

Let me bring the house down (on myself .. lol!), by stating this: although I’m happy that Ross appears to be on the road to recovery, I’m not, and I repeat absolutely NOT convinced that he will be anything for the Giants that they don’t already have.

I have never seen Ross shut down anyone. Does he get his INT’s, yeah maybe a couple. But in my (humble!) opinion, he gets toasted more. I do believe he has the physical tools to become a good DB, but something missing upstairs. And, with his comments last season questioning his own future and where he wants to be, I don’t see that changing yet. Maybe he found himself recently .. I hope so.

Go Gmen

by giants013 on Nov 12, 2009 8:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs