I;d like to see Tollefson stay and Boothe go. I like bigblue’s scenario re Wilkinson (gone in a trade?) and think Bomar has a shot at beating out Anderson. I have very poitive feelings about the team the Giants will field this year. My biggest concern remains the OL. Can we really expect another year with no injuries there? Of course, the longer Eli goes w/o injury the more I worry about him going down as well.

in stocking a roster. My thoughts:

Queler is right on as to why it might go the other way with Bomar/Woodson, assuming Andre has another year of eligibility for practice squad.

DT seems too much of a log jam (5 for 2 positions) when a lot of 2nd and longs and 3rd and longs will limit playing time for some of them. Also either Cofield or Robbins might be at risk if G-men think they are less than fully healthy for next two years, and Alford is young with some real upside.

LB seems a little heavy (9 for 3 positions), although DeOssie is a long-snapper, too. Don’t know that we’d miss either Goff or Wilkinson, or both.

Question – what is the likelihood that we can package any of our guys on the bubble to trade for some real OL help (and it’s scary when Ed points out that Boothe “has been getting destroyed most of camp”, and he is one of the “keepers”.

Boothe certainly has been a disapointment…Shame about Tyree, but I think your right on there..I think however they should keep Bomar on the squad..I agree that he would most likely get snatched if they place him on the practice squad.

You have Barden ranked # 4 for actual playing time this season at WR (So much for Nicks being the most “pro-ready” WR in the draft, huh ?) . Do you see him being used primarily in red zone / fade route type situations, or are you seeing even more near-term potential based on his camp performance ?

After thirty-eight years being a Giant fan, I have to say that this group is, as a whole the most talented I’ve ever seen (OL back-ups aside). You’d want to keep everybody but you can’t..I’ve never witnessed that before. I hope they can trade up for the future vs. simply cutting these guys..and Hopefully hide a few on the practice squad.

I was at training camp and i have to say i agree with most of your selections. But the only part that i really felt differently about is the DB’s. Obviously the top four spots are secured but over the course of the practices i saw, Bruce Johnson really impressed. He had a few interceptions with one being over Ramses Barden that was very impressive.

Here are the final 53 (actually 54 because Boley given waiver week 1) – based on performance, and not based on any minimum number at any position

QB (2): Manning, Carr,
RB (5): Jacobs, Bradshaw, Ware, Patrick. Hedgecock
TE (3): Boss, Beckum, Vickers
OL (8): Diehl, Seubert, O’Hara, Snee, McKenzie, Beatty, Reyes, Boothe
WR (8): Hixon, Smith, Manningham, Moss, Barden, Nicks, Hagen, Tyree
DL (10): Tuck, Osi, Robbins, Cofield, Canty, Bernard, Alford, Tollefson, Kiwanuka, Evans
LB(8): Pierce, Kehl, Sintim, Clark, Blackburn, Goff, DeOssie, Boley
DB (8): Webster, Ross, Thomas, Dockery, Phillips, Johnson, Brown, Woodson
K/P(2): Tynes, Feagles

Comments:
QB: Don’t need to develop a young QB – Eli is our QB for the next 6 years
TE: Vickers has been practicing long snapping…so we can cut DeOssie after week 1 possibly
OL: We don’t have any depth here, so why keep more than 8?
WR: No way Coughlin cuts Tyree….Coach owes what he has today to Tyree. He is a class act on and off the field….he owes Tyree the chance to run out of the tunnel on opening night and get an ovation from the home crowd after the Super Bowl catch…can’t cut Hagen either
DL: Why not keep 10? This is our deepest position, and Robbins, Kiwanuka, and Cofield are free agents after this year, so we still will be 7 deep even if we lose them
LB: DeOssie gone if Vickers/Alford can handle LS duties
DB: Woodson fighting with B. Johnson, Anderson, Rashad for last spot.

Practice Squad: Rashad, Anderson, Bruce Johnson, Woodson/Bomar if not claimed, Bodiford, Ingram, Henderson, Hill

Thoughts?

Ed,

Here are my thoughts on the 53 man roster posted above, and the logic behind them:

QB: Yes Carr will be gone next year but unless Woodson or Bomar looks like they will be ready next year to be a legit backup to running the team if Manning gets hurt, they won’t keep either of them. Whoever backs up Manning next year will nead to be able to lead the team….I see the Giants signing someone like Volek, Garcia, even Pennington as a backup next year rather than going with someone without NFL experience to run the team…so unless Woodson or Bomar hits a homerun during preseason, no reason to keep them

TE: If Matthews is the best blocker, Vickers is gone….I don’t see Giants keeping 4 TE, but I was thinking Vickers if he can block and be LS. Then I can see them keeping him and getting rid of DeOssie)

RB: Right now I have them for 5 RB’s. I can’t see them keeping 6. Who would it be? Wright is the only other RB on their roster now, and I think he is only training camp fodder.

DL: 1st 8 are locks. So that leaves Tollefson and Evans. I don’t see them letting Tollefson go….he’s had a good preseason. So if Evans shows well in preseason, they keep him. No way he gets waived and nobody picks him up, so I doubt we can hide him on the practice squad

 LB: Goff is heir apparent to Pierce as MLB. No way they waive him given he was a 5th round pick last year and was hurt. Pierce, Kehl, Sintim, Clark, Blackburn, Boley, and Goff definitely make the roster. So if they only keep 7, DeOssie, Wilkinson, and Ingram are gone. My gut is they keep 8 for week 1 (while Boley doesn’t count against 53 roster limit, and they waive one guy when Boley comes back)

DB: Usually would keep 9 DB’s, but after top 7 (Webster, Ross, Thomas, Dockery, Phillips, Johnson, and Brown) there are no locks….just a lot of hungry har working guys. If they keep 8 (my guess is Woodson, but Wright, B Johnson could contend), they could waive the rest, and I am sure a few of them could end up on the practice squad. I don’t think other teams would claim them like they would claim Evans, so we could afford to keep only 8, and if someone gets hurt, we could always call up someone from PS).

WR: Coughlin is a loyal person, and wants people that are not loyal no part of organization (see Barber, Shockey, Burress, Toomer..who complained the Giants never threw him the ball in the Eagles game). Coughlin kept Tynes because he got them to Super Bowl – did not cut him last year even though he had Carney. He Won’t cut Tyree. I will GUARANTEE you this. Did you here Coughlin’s interview after Tyree dropped 5 passes in practice….Coughlin was basically defending him!!!!!Saying it was his first day back, and he did some other good things. Most teams would cut Tyree, but not Reese or Coughlin….that’s not how the Giants operate. Tyree will play 2 more year with the Giants, and then they will hire him to be a ST coach or something like that. For this year, he will be ST player, and be an emergency WR in games in case the active WR’s get hurt during the game. So if the Giants keep only 7, Moss or Hagen will get cut. Hagen is too good at ST and having a great preseason, so unless he blows up, I think he makes it. If Moss stays healthy and plays well, I think he makes it as well. If his hamstring acts up again, he could be gone.

Bottom line, the Giants don’t pick the most talented 53 players….if they did, they would have signed Owens, kept Plax, Shockey, and maybe even considered Vick. The Giants pick 53 people that fit into the team concept, and they reward loyalty and good people. Tyree is a New York Giant legend…..and a great person off the field…..He will be a positive influence on the young receivers, and a solid ST player. When he makes the team, remember you read it here first --on BIG BLUE VIEW!

Go Giants!

Go Giants!

Toomer and Tyree are different.

Toomer was very outspoken after the Giants loss last year. He complained about how he didn’t get the ball in the last few games….blaming the coaching staff and Manning for freezing him out. He also had no interest in mentoring the young receivers. Even though he played for the Giants for many years, it didn’t sound like he was a team player. He acted more like Tiki Barber than a loyal Giant. I loved watching Barber and Toomer, but they burned their bridges by being too outspoken and critical of the team. David Tyree is not like that.

Coughlin and Reese will find a spot for Tyree…….no way they cut the legend of New York….he still can play special teams this year. When he can’t do it anymore, they will find a home for him as a coach or in a Giant administrative position.

What’s happened with trying Alford as the long snapper? It certainly would help if the long snapper could be a position player, too. On the d-line, experience suggests they really need 9 players, including 4 ends, don’t you think? Any chance they keep Evans over Tollefson? Not only has he showed a lot of potential, I read that he’s only 20 years old! Regarding wide receivers, I actually think it would be best for all concerned if the Giants traded Sinorce Moss. He has a lot of talent but he’s not a good match for the team. Eli’s biggest weakness is accuracy, and he needs big receivers that can really make catches. Sinorce would do better on a team with a very accurate quarterback. Then there would be room for Tyree.

I actually believe they may need Tyree for special teams. Remember he was a Pro Bowl selection for special teams in 05’ after all and he isn’t exactly ancient at 29 years old. Leadership is key for every unit and Tyree could be a great ST leader. Also, it would definitely help the team to have a veteran receiver in the mix that doesn’t (and shouldn’t!)demand playing time because this young group of receivers needs to get some real game experience quick. Steve Smith is a lock as a possession receiver after the way he stepped up last year so I think the No. 2 slot is sewn up but Hixon, Barden, Moss or Nicks could grab the No. 1 role. They obviously would all offer a different strength. I see this being a ball control offense that takes a shot when necessary so Moss’s quickness may be suited to the starting role. He definitely has the ability to get the YAC. Of course injuries are a concern but some playing time is the only way to see whether he will ever be durable. All of the receivers will have a role in the offense but I am taking Moss as a sleeper if they don’t trade him. Hixon did well in the role last year but he dropped some key passes. Moss caught all 12 passes thrown in his direction according to Reese so that is definitely something that will stick in a coach’s mind.