I am going to be honest here. It's the middle of July. It's beautiful outside. I am spending the next week or so at our summer place in New York's Adirondack Mountains, followed by a little trek to Maine for a few days. So, I've got my priorities straight.
That said, I'm still going to give you plenty to read here at Big Blue View. Don't worry about that. Following are several New York Giants and NFL-related notes for your Sunday reading enjoyment.
NFL: Salary cap could pose issues for these teams - ESPN
Even though the Giants are $11.34 million over a $120 million cap, they can save $7.5 million if they don't bring back offensive lineman Shawn Andrews. The Giants have plenty of contracts they can restructure, so getting under the cap won't be a problem. The difficulty might be not having too much free cap room for getting into free agency after re-signing key veterans such as Ahmad Bradshaw.
If the Giants are close to, or over, whatever cap number is eventually decided upon that won't be a good thing. To be honest, I have not really thought much about the ramifications of the cap. This, however, makes me think some 'bubble' players will be needing new homes.
Giants have a number of difficult decisions on free agents | ProFootballTalk
The Giants added to positions of strength early in the 2011 draft, which means their biggest needs weren't necessarily addressed. That should keep Giants G.M. Jerry Reese busy when the lockout ends. Here's our to-do list for Big Blue.
Report: Free agents pressing for progress on CBA | ProFootballTalk
The problem for the free agents is that, with each passing day, teams will be less likely to splurge on strangers to their organization, given that the time for preparing for the 2011 season will be shorter and shorter.
Unfortunately, the NFL and the NFLPA* seem to be motivated only by the looming loss of $200 million per week once preseason games are scuttled. Limiting the ability of the teams to prepare for the season and/or restricting the attractiveness of free agents simply isn’t a priority.
Honestly, there is a lot of truth in this. The less time teams have to prepare the more they will want to hold on to guys already familiar with their system and their playbook.
DeSean Jackson issues statement after using gay slur | ProFootballTalk
More than a week after DeSean Jackson directed a gay slur at a satellite radio caller, Deadspin picked the story up Friday with a transcript of the event. Jackson took the seemingly inevitable next step by releasing a statement on the matter Saturday.
Five changes brought on by the lockout | National Football Post
The job of an agent is to project and prepare for any changes that may come and make the best of them for our clients. After several discussions with other agents, some NFL brass and even some coaches (don’t tell anyone), this is what I see as some immediate fallout from the lockout and operating on a new landscape.
"I feel like this is the year," Bryant said Friday. "I’m going to be fully healthy, I’m going to be in full effect. I’m just trying to start where I left off at.
"I would show you all what I’ve been working on, but wait until the lockout’s over and that’s when you’re all going to see the full effect."
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