New York Giants' notes, 03.04.09

Here are a couple of New York Giants' notes while we wait with great anticipation for Thursday -- when the next installment of 'jrs' 'Great Moments at Giants Stadium' series will be posted.

• Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News figures the Giants' weekend spending spree cost them about $14.5 million against the salary cap for 2009. Vacchiano estimates that the team had around $15 million to spend, meaning someone is likely to have to go for the team to sign any more players.
• Mike Garafolo also breaks down the cap numbers, and his math is very different than RV's. The cap is always a mess to figure out, and if the best two Giants beat writers on the planet can't agree on the numbers you can see why.
• Scouts Inc. loves what the additions of Michael Boley, Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty bring to the Giants defense.

The acquisition of Chris Canty was a major coup for the New York Giants. A little more than a year ago, the Giants won the Super Bowl with an approach that was dictated by terrific defensive line play and a lot of versatile -- and extremely potent -- performers up front. Outside of quarterbacks, defensive linemen are the league's great commodity and no one in the NFL understands that better than the Giants.

Not only did the Giants add Canty, an up-and-comer who can do a lot of things for this defense, they also added defensive tackle Rocky Bernard. Bernard isn't an upper-echelon player at his position, but he plays with very good energy and should be very effective in a rotational situation. Bernard is also an accomplished interior pass rusher who could thrive on passing downs. ...

Canty brings even more to the table than Bernard. A penetrating defensive end in Dallas' 3-4 scheme, he can occupy an offensive tackle in a two-gapping style or shoot gaps to disrupt the flow of a play in the backfield. In short-yardage situations, Canty is the ideal base end for the Giants' 4-3 scheme, but he can also be a defensive tackle aligning on the outside shoulder of a guard on any down and distance. ...

These signings are a classic case of improving upon a team strength. The Giants' defensive line can attack its opponent in any way it sees fit, while still occupying blocks up front to allow newly acquired run-and-hit outside linebacker Michael Boley to do what he does best.

• Free-agent safety C.C. Brown wraps up his visit with the Giants today. Will GM Jerry Reese go 4-for-4 in free-agent signings?