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.
"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.
