'Jrs' did a great job Saturday getting the cuts posted -- and the complete roster.
I'm going to weigh in today with some thoughts on what the Giants have done here.
- The No. 1 stunner has to be the decision to release both Anthony Wright and Andre Woodson and go with two quarterbacks -- at least for now. As 'jrs' and others have said, Woodson could land on the practice squad if no one picks him up. I expect he is a goner, though. As for the third QB, all of you Jared Lorenzen fans should be feeling pretty good. Lorenzen could be getting a call from the Giants any day. How about Chris Simms?
- I love the John Carney signing. I think most of us rooted for Josh Huston, and if the Giants were a rebuilding team they could have given him a shot. But, they are a team expecting to win and a dependable veteran placekicker is a must. Carney, 12-of-14 in field goals last season, unquestionably fills that bill -- and he isn't Jay Feely.
Here is Coughlin on the move.
- I was sorry to see Brandon London go, but glad the Giants kept Danny Ware.
- In the end, I guess I am not surprised that Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese kept veterans Reuben Droughns, R.W, McQuarters, Sam Madison and Sammy Knight. The Giants are trying to win, and veteran guys can often contribute, even if their physical skills may not be what they were.
When you go into your first game of the year, and you're in the situation we're in from the standpoint of our placekicker, there isn't any question that in the back of your mind is the fact this is a veteran. That's really the number one thing. John Carney has so much experience and been in this league for so long, kicked so many game-winning field goals and been in so many tight situations. It's very difficult to overlook that part of it, especially when you're week-to-week with your present kicker, a guy that's kicked a 47-yarder to put you in the Super Bowl."
Here is Coughlin on the veteran players.
"There isn't any doubt about them being good players," Coughlin said. "They're veteran players and they've seen an awful lot in this game and they've been able to react to it. From the standpoint of Reuben, we have a pretty good group of guys at running back and felt like they were all worthy of making an NFL team and they have so many roles that they can play. Reuben can be a fullback, he can be a running back, he can be a special teams player, he can be a short-yardage and goal line guy. He has a lot of hats he can wear."
NOTE: By the way, yours truly did not miss the final 53-man roster by much when I made my initial projection back at the beginning of training camp. By my count (and it's early this morning, so forgive me if I mess this up) Ware, Carney, Leisle and Blackburn are the only players on the roster who weren't part of that prediction.