Opening the Big Blue View mailbag

by Ed Valentine on Feb 20, 2010 7:00 AM EST in News Comment 11 comments

I don't always remember, but in recent weeks I have been trying to tag most of my posts with the Big Blue View e-mail address. As I hoped it would, that occasionally generates some good e-mails.

I thought I would take advantage of some of those e-mails today by putting together a 'Big Blue View mailbag.' I will answer or comment on these the best I can. Some of these are a little bit old, but still worth discussing.

Trey writes:

"Why in a bunch of recent drafts, football experts have the Giants taking defensive linemen? I think we are fine there. I think we need to pick one of the top safeties in the draft. (taylor mays, earl Thomas). Can you explain to me why we may take a defensive lineman in the first round?"

Ed's Take: Fine There? At defensive tackle? Without one player on the roster you can tell me for sure is likely to be a productive Giant in 2010? I beg to differ. Fred Robbins? Most likely, and deservedly, gone. Rocky Bernard? Horrible in 2009, and could very well also be gone. Barry Cofield? A restricted free agent, and as much as the Giants would like to keep him there is no guarantee he will return. Chris Canty? Perennially considered an under-achiever in Dallas. I know he was hurt, but he did nothing last year to make you feel confident he can be a dominant force as a defensive tackle. Jay Alford? I know he had a great camp in 2009, but he missed the entire year with a knee injury, and he has never been more than a backup lineman who could be part of the rotation. No one really knows for sure what Alford will be able to contribute in 2010.

So, yes, it absolutely makes a ton of sense for the Giants to be looking at defensive linemen in the draft. Especially defensive tackles. Defensive end as a need is debatable, but defensive tackle is without question a problem area.

Eric writes:

I read your post about the e-mail you received from a fan about [Gibril] Wilson. Personally, he was good for our system and when he left the Giants he was horrible. We do not need a below average or average players playing the safety position. The safety position now on defense is more involved then ever and we need a play maker there. We have enough issues with the terrible play of Michael Johnson and I am hoping and praying that Phillips will be back @ 100%, but just like he said in Garafolo's column over the weekend "SHOULD be ready to go." I would rather take that kid from Texas that you profiled the other day (Who has a chance to a ball hawk) then revert back to an average end of career guy. Could you imagine Phillips and this kid from Texas back there?

As we sit here and debate we will not know anything until March 5th when free agency starts. It all depends what direction the Giants take during FA. Because if they do not get a LB in FA then that is priority # 1 in the draft for sure! Your thoughts?

Ed's Take: I would rather see the Giants draft one of the top young safeties (Earl Thomas, Chad Jones, Nate Allen, maybe even Myron Rolle) than bring back Gibril Wilson. If the Giants do have a Wilson at safety in 2010 I would prefer Buffalo's George Wilson, an RFA who played very well for Perry Fewell with the Bills last season.

Wade writes:

I am interested in knowing how our current injuries from last year, mainly KP and Alford are doing in there rehabbing. Mind getting a post up about there recovery for us?

Ed's Take: I have nothing for you right now on Jay Alford. I will reach out to his agent, though, and see what I can find out. As for KP, Mike Garafolo's recent piece on Phillips indicates that he is optimistic, but won't even begin to run for several weeks. So, there is no way we can know. I have said it before, but the Giants need to plan like KP doesn't even exist.

John writes:

No. do not trade Osi. He's still a valuable player. Don't forget Spagnola [sic] wasn't there last year. Made a big difference.

Ed's Take: First, FYI that John actually wrote this in all caps. I figured I would spare you the eye strain. In an ideal world, no one would want the Giants to trade Osi Umenyiora. Right now we really don't know, however, how the Giants view him. Do they think he can return to pre-knee surgery form? Do they think he is just a part-time player? Osi, obviously, thinks he is still a star -- and that is part of the problem. You have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk, and Osi hasn't walked it for a long time. What he might end up doing, though, is talking his way into a different uniform.

CyberDadal writes:

G-men need to build an O-line that will protect Manning for the next 6-8 years. Current O-line are all 29-31 going into next season. Thus how many more "good" years do they have left? Look at the Patsies, their O-line has gotten old. They were actually worn down during the Giants Super Bowl season which was a big reason the G-men won since they got to Brady a lot that game.

Davis from Rutgers is only 20 and won't turn 21 until October. The guy handled/shutdown all the top DEs when he had to. Take him first and build the O-line of the future with him and Beatty.

Use free agency to find defensive backs and take a MLB in the 2nd round.

Ed's Take: No one, myself included, is going to disagree with the argument that the Giants need to think about the future of their offensive line. If the right guy is there, why not? I'm sure Jerry Reese knows that, too. We will just have to see how the whole thing plays out.

(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com. Follow Big Blue View on Twitter.)

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Comments

I don't want Davis

He is going to be a future LT like Beatty. Don’t like the way he played last year.

by number_twentyone on Feb 20, 2010 9:45 AM EST reply actions

Davis

almost certainly won’t be available at 15, anyway.

by Ed Valentine on Feb 20, 2010 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

I agree...

Many people don’t realize that LT and RT are extremely different positions.

In fact, most tackles taken in the first round are LT prospects simply because they are more valuable in general, especially in today’s passing NFL. Top RT prospects are usually still available in round 2. We should wait until then, in my opinion, to snag a RT, especially if McKenzie will be around another year.

by yanks092x2 on Feb 20, 2010 10:32 AM EST up reply actions

College LT’s are drafted higher…yes. But that’s not always what they will be playing in the NFL. Many of the NFL’s RT’s are actually LT’s.

The Giants value the RT position….they spent $37 million on Kareem McKenzie, so they value the position.

Wait till round 2 to draft a RT, Ok fine. Will they get a Tony Davis or Brian Bulaga to play that spot? I don’t think so. They’ll get a Kyle Calloway in round 2 or a Ciron Black in round 2-3.

College LT’s play RT in the pros all the time. A college LT is usually the best OL on his team, not the RT.

Tony Davis is 6"6 335lbs and a mauler, he reminds me of Ryan Clady with his athleticism. Whether or not he plays LT or RT, who the hell cares, he’s a good OT and will make the Giants have two potentially great bookends for the next 8-10 years.

by FreeBradshaw on Feb 20, 2010 11:10 AM EST up reply actions

*

and Ciron Black was a LT in college. Trent Williams was a LT. Both are not LT pro prospects at all.

I can’t name all that many college RT’s, that actually played the RT spot in college, that are going to be drafted higher then the 5-7th rounds

Kyle Calloway is basically the only college RT that has a chance of going in the first 3 rounds.

All the others are college LT’s.

by FreeBradshaw on Feb 20, 2010 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

This Tony Davis sounds like a monster..I don't know much about him though..Is he quick?

"When I was a boy and had no sense I got my pecker stuck in an electric fence..Well it curled my hair and tickled my balls, and made me shit in my overalls"

by Bobbiblue on Feb 20, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

I see him as Ryan Clady,

the All-Pro Caliber LT with the Broncos (doesn’t make the AP team cuz of Joe Thomas..not fair, I know).

Just an all around OT who yea, is pretty damn athletic, not just for a massive human that he is.

Choosing whether he or Beatty will play LT or RT for the Giants for the next 10 years is a good problem to have.

Between Davis, Bruce Campbell and Brian Bulaga..I like Davis the best, tho like Ed says…Davis is probably not there.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Davis is the first OT off the board, especially if the Redskins have that choice.

Shanahan drafted Ryan Clady when he was with Denver, so I think if he feels Davis is the next Clady, he does just that.

Davis is a top 5-10 pick IMO. So if he’s there, even if someone like Brian Price is there….Davis is better and I’d grab him.

by FreeBradshaw on Feb 20, 2010 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks..I'm now convinced and have him circled in my Sears Catalog wish-list

"When I was a boy and had no sense I got my pecker stuck in an electric fence..Well it curled my hair and tickled my balls, and made me shit in my overalls"

by Bobbiblue on Feb 20, 2010 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

make sure to tape on a $1 bill

so they can pay for shipping and handling

by FreeBradshaw on Feb 20, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

LOL!!..Yeah but they are offering free shipping on any order over 50 bucks..I think he'd qualify..

"When I was a boy and had no sense I got my pecker stuck in an electric fence..Well it curled my hair and tickled my balls, and made me shit in my overalls"

by Bobbiblue on Feb 20, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions

CyberD brings up a good point.

I have been adament about taking either a DT or safety withe the Giants 1st round pick. However, as many ppl have stated, it wouldn’t be smart to reach for either of those positions if no studs are left/aren’t worth #15. With Kareems durability issues/age being a major concern, if JR truly feels that the BPA is an O-linemen I would prob be surprised but I would support the pick. The absolute last injury we can afford to have is one to #10, and building a young strong line around our core C/RG/Deihl is key in Manning having continued success while in his prime.

15 is a good number

by I_Formation27 on Feb 22, 2010 9:27 AM EST reply actions