Just a few quick notes for you this morning, New York Giants fans.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin to receive U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award | NJ.com
Honored for his work with veterans and active members of the military
Breakout stars: Linval Joseph makes the list - NFL - CBSSports.com News, Rumors, Scores, Stats, Fantasy
He was a force in the second half of the season for the Giants and appears ready to do even more. He is strong and can penetrate.
Home field advantage rankings | National Football Post
Which teams do the best job of handling their business at home? Let’s take a look.
NFL: Biggest post-draft needs for every NFC East team - ESPN
Tom Coughlin's Super Bowl-winning Giants teams will be remembered for their steady rotation of defensive linemen. It was a unit that sent one pass-rusher after another across the line of scrimmage and into quarterbacks' nightmares, from Michael Strahan to Justin Tuck to Umenyiora to Mathias Kiwanuka to Jason Pierre-Paul.
However, the Giants' list of pass-rushers is getting smaller. Though Tuck and Pierre-Paul remain entrenched at defensive end, Kiwanuka has been moved to linebacker, leaving Umenyiora as the only proven pass-rusher on the Giants' bench. He may not be there for long. Umenyiora is entering the last year of his contract, and if the Giants don't give him the extension he wants (or trade him to a team that will), he has suggested he will hold out.
What kind of void would Umenyiora leave on the New York bench? Only one other Giants reserve lineman has ever sacked an NFL quarterback: 33-year-old Shaun Rogers, who had no sacks in 16 games with New Orleans last year. Most of the other bench players are late-round draftees or college free agents, none of whom have significant experience. The most talented player in this group might be Marvin Austin, a 2011 second-rounder out of North Carolina who missed his entire rookie season with a pectoral injury, but he will be placed at defensive tackle, not end.
This is why the Giants have been hesitant to trade Umenyiora: They can't afford to lose any more pass-rushers. Even if Umenyiora and the Giants reach a deal, New York still needs to add depth here.
Valentine's View: I'm not sure I agree with this. Long-term? Maybe. Short-term? Defensive end is not a problem for 2012.
Some advice for rookies: get in your playbook | National Football Post
Know your assignments. That’s the one piece of advice I would give every rookie this offseason as they go through mini-camps and prep for OTAs.
Your technique? It probably needs a lot of work. The coaching staff is going to break you down and build you back up. Part of the process as a rookie. That will come with time on the field.
But if you can’t line up and make simple adjustments, well, then you won’t play. It’s that simple in the pro game.