Land of the Giants: Still want Braylon Edwards?

by Ed Valentine on Aug 20, 2009 7:50 AM EDT in Kudos & Wet Willies

Let's take a quick look around the Land of the Giants as we wait for this afternoon's practice at New York Giants training camp.

So, do you still wish the Giants had traded for Braylon Edwards? Good old Stone Hands, who led the league in drops last season, dropped a touchdown pass in Cleveland's exhibition opener. He then heard about it from his Twitter followers. Thank goodness Giants GM Jerry Reese is smarter than we are when it comes to NFL personnel. 'Kudos' to Shutdown Corner for the find.
Cornerback Aaron Ross participated in the team portion of practice Wednesday morning, but it will likely be a while before he does so again. Ross says his hamstring is still not right.

"It’s frustrating, it’s very frustrating. You see me out there. I can walk, I can jog, I can do everything to make it seem like I’m okay, but as soon as I go out there, it let’s you know you’re not ready," Ross said. "I tried it today and I can tell I wasn’t 100 percent, maybe not even 80 percent yet."

Paul Schwartz of the New York Post points out that as dominant as the Giants defense has looked thus far in camp, the team has basically gotten nothing for the $83 million Reese shelled out to free agents Michael Boley, Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty. Schwartz might be right here, but it's waaaaaaaay too early to be writing this story and hinting that it was wasted money. Training camp hasn't even ended, the regular season doesn't start for three more weeks, and there is a lot of football to be played before the season ends. These guys will all get healthy, and they will all help.
Of course, one of the reasons the Giants have seemingly not missed the free-agent trio has been the impressive performance of rookie second-round pick Clint Sintim.

The rookie linebacker the Giants took in the second round out of Virginia turned in a dazzling debut in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. He had four tackles and a sack and was credited with four quarterback hits.

And here's the best part: As far as Sintim was concerned, the performance wasn't that special.

"Solid," he said when asked how well he played. "I had more mental errors than a lot of people would know, just because you wouldn't know unless I told you. I had some good plays. I had some plays I'd like to have back. It was kind of a steppingstone."

Sorry, Danny Clark. It's just a matter of time before Sintim takes your job.

It's a tired topic, but Clark Judge of CBS Sports says the Giants' season depends on the growth of their young wide receivers. In all honesty, the more I watch the less I worry. The Giants have plenty of talent and big-play ability among their receiving corps.
Plaxico Burress is being arraigned on weapons charges today.
Brandon Jacobs looking to improve as a pass catcher.

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Comments

take it as a compliment.

i take paul schwartz’s comments as a compliment. the fact that we’ve showed such dominance with $83 mil on the pine right now?! that’s wonderful. i’m really trying to contain myself about this team, but its hard; we have an amazing bunch of talent and if it comes together on the field, watch out world!

by wilddre22 on Aug 20, 2009 9:23 AM EDT reply actions

braylon butter hands...

I’m not goin to lie I actually wanted braylon edwards at the time but now that training camp started I much rather have nicks and barden our 1st and 3rd picks who I believe was what the browns was asking for. I’m not really sure what the giants offered at the time I was hearing a 2nd and 3rd and hixon… the browns should be kicking themselves for not taking that….

by nycity on Aug 20, 2009 9:54 AM EDT reply actions

agreed

by njgiant on Aug 20, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I never wanted him at all..We don't want whiners, we want winners

and the best way to get winners is to grow them from within, and I think that is exactly what Reese believes. We don’t need another Plaxico experiment.

by Bobbiblue on Aug 20, 2009 10:09 AM EDT reply actions

Agreed.

"We're only going to score 17 points?!" - Tom Brady

by iLL on Aug 20, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Braylon

Like I said earlier the Braylon “trade” may go down as the greatest trade never made.

Gee you think players are starting to realize that Twitter isn’t so neat after all. Especially when fans can let them know how they feel about their performance instantly?

Was it just me or did Sintim look a lot bigger on TV than his measurements? I hope he develops into a good LB because we needs guys that do more than just rush the passer.

I feel better about Boley, Canty, and Bernard than I did when we acquired Lamar Arrington.

by John W on Aug 20, 2009 10:18 AM EDT reply actions

Sintim

looked absolutely ripped on TV.

"We're only going to score 17 points?!" - Tom Brady

by iLL on Aug 20, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah he's a good one..boy oh boy!!!

by Bobbiblue on Aug 20, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

BE

wow, they killed him on twitter…

but i just watched the giants practice video from yesterday…Eli was airing it out!!!

by andiamo708 on Aug 20, 2009 10:19 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah he was..

With accuracy…Peyton was interviewed years ago when Eli was drafted and stated that Eli had the stronger arm..That’s quite a compliment..Now that he knows the system by heart he is using that arm to show it..and is is now the sole leader on the field..the Tiki days are over..it’s all on him now and it looks like he is right on top of it.

by Bobbiblue on Aug 20, 2009 10:32 AM EDT reply actions

I always preferred

Boldin over Edwards talent-wise, but preferred to draft over trading at all.

I like that Eli is the veteran skill position guy now. They go as he goes and not as some head strong receiver decides to go.

by Jaybat on Aug 20, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

Yes I agree..

… the draft and who we have growing up thru the organization is where we’ll reap the benefits as far as the receiving unit goes..I was against trading for another problem ego-maniac…and as great as Tiki Barber was, I am actually glad he retired, because he was causing leadership issues in the huddle. The QB is the leader, not a running back or receiver and now Eli has that and he is showing it. He is starting to really show his talent and leadership on offense..He is coaching his unit in the huddle and they are responding.

by Bobbiblue on Aug 20, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

The year after...

Tiki leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage, the Giants win the SB.

"We're only going to score 17 points?!" - Tom Brady

by iLL on Aug 20, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

as good as he was..Tiki would not have carried them to a Super Bowl..He has always been about himself, not the team…and he still is..If he stuck with them he could have certainly helped them win, but he wanted to be Mr. Glamour guy..and I am sure he regrets it now..Strahan stuck with them..and even said if he missed the SB year he would have died. He atsyed with the team and now has a ring..Tiki has nice suits.

by Bobbiblue on Aug 20, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Gonna have to disagree with that one

No Tiki bashing from me. Yeah, things ended on a bad note but Tiki was great for the Gmen. Tiki was our leading rusher in 2000 with some Bjake type rushing stats (1006 yards) and he caught 70 balls for over 700 yards, something Bjake will never do. We did get crushed in the Superbowl, but Tiki was the back that got us there. If he would have stayed and had another great year and got a 10 table stunner, he’d be a lock for the Hall.

by njgiant on Aug 20, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't get me wrong..

Tiki was great..I love the guy..My point about not carrying the team to a Super Bowl is that the rest of the “engine” wasn’t there…and he did cause Eli issues..He critized the coaches and Eli shortly after he left, and they all went on to win the big one without him. If they had Tiki for the SB, they would have won it easily.

by Bobbiblue on Aug 21, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Couple of points

I think that the term or phrase “carrying the team” is too broad of a stroke. In my opinion, even during the Superbowl run, there was no particular player that carried the team, it was a total team effort. As far as Tiki goes, if you get 1700, 1800 yards rushing and be a leader in receptions then you’ve done your job. Someone else has to step in and help out. As fas as Tiki criticizing the coaches and Eli, you pointed it out that he did that after he left, so I don’t have a problem with that, he was gone and no longer on the team. I would have issues if he were still playing and causing a rift. I also think that Tiki may have a little validity to what he was saying because Cough did ease up in his approach to the players the following year and they responded in kind. As far as causing Eli issues, I’ll put that one on Eli. Eli’s the QB and I know it’s not his MO but it’s Eli’s job as the QB to tell the RB to shut the hell up and let him do his job.

by njgiant on Aug 21, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Good point

by Bobbiblue on Aug 22, 2009 4:37 AM EDT up reply actions

tiki

carried the team at points.

by queler on Aug 20, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

The last thing the giants need is another pass dropper like shockey

I have a theory as to why the giants passing game was so bad aside from the loss of plaxico. The giants lost the most important part of their throwing game in what week 8? They never really had time to adjust another game plan around another receiver. Eli never had a chance to get comfortable with a different #1 receiver running plaxico’s routes. I don’t know who the number one wide receiver will be but I do know that the giants passing game won’t be as bad as everyone thinks.

by obrient15 on Aug 20, 2009 6:04 PM EDT reply actions