The 2012 NFL Draft begins Thursday, as we know. It seems like New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora is, like many Giants fans, wondering what his status will be when the smoke clears from the weekend. In other words, he is wondering if he will still be a member of the Super Bowl champions.
Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com tweeted Tuesday that "things could get interesting" if a team were to offer the Giants a third-round pick in exchange for the perennially disgrunted sack specialist.
Umenyiora was making the media rounds on Wednesday, and sounds like a who doesn't know what the next few days will bring.
On one hand, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York tweeted that Umenyiora "hasn't been sleeping much not knowing what will happen" over the next few days. On the other hand, Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News says Umenyiora does not expect to be traded during the draft.
There was Osi the amateur general manager saying this: "If they're going to get something, now would be the time to do it."
A rich contract extension has always been what Umenyiora has wanted from the Giants, and what he seems unlikely and unable to get. He also said during one of his many media stops Wednesday that he would not require a contract extension from his new team if the Giants do trade him.
Umenyiora, on WFAN with Boomer & Carton seemed to indicate he would not play for the Giants in 2012 without something being to his contract.
"Man, I never want to say never. But I just doubt, I seriously doubt that that's gonna be the case. I doubt that would happen."
One more Umenyiora quote, this one also passed along by Vacchiano: "Over the last couple of years I always came back and I've always done the right thing for the Giants. At some point you have to do the right thing for yourself."
Pro Football Talk thinks Umenyiora is "using the day before the draft to send a message to the other 31 teams in the NFL."
What happens with Umenyiora, of course, impacts what the Giants do in the draft. You wonder, though, if we have finally reached the point where Umenyiora and the Giants will actually part company.