With rookie mini-camp having been completed last weekend Pat Traina of Inside Football and I thought this would be a good week to put together an offseason edition of our 'Friday Five' feature. Below, we talk about rookies, Chad Jones and the offensive line. Be sure to head over to Pat's site for my answers to her questions.
Ed: What are your thoughts on the Giants waiving Chad Jones? Fans still cling to the idea he will play in the NFL one day, and I'm not sure that is realistic.
Pat: Well I sort of learned a lesson with Rich Seubert to never count a guy out, as if he works hard, he can accomplish just about anything. And with medicine breaking new ground every day, there's always reason to be optimistic. The question though is at what point does he become too old to make that comeback? And if he does make a comeback, how effective will he really be?
I think I'm not alone in saying I was rooting for the kid. Are the odds stacked against him? I think they are. But what a great story he'd make if he can beat those odds, right?
Ed: Were you surprised by any of the players who were signed following the rookie mini-camp? Anyone in that group you are really intrigued by?
Pat: Truthfully no. I think it was you who said you have to pump the brakes a bit on your enthusiasm about some of these guys since they really just ran around in shorts and shells. So I want to reserve judgment until I see these kids mix it in with the veterans.
Ed: Among the drafted players, who really impressed you during the mini-camp?
Pat: Well again, I think it's important to take observations with a grain of salt for the reason I stated above. But I thought Rueben Randle and David Wilson had good showings. I also liked what I saw from Adrien Robinson.
Ed: Joe Martinek got a lot of media attention during the mini-camp. In your estimation, does Martinek have a chance at making the 53-man roster?
Pat: So far so good for Jersey Joe, though again, not to sound like a broken record, but we have to temper our enthusiasm based on the shorts and shells workouts we saw. The question is if Martinek does make the roster, were will he fit in? I know what Coughlin and Gilbride said about him playing both tailback and fullback, but unless they're thinking abut drastically altering the fullback's role on the team, I would be shocked if he has any chance of making the roster as a fullback. I think he's going to be serious competition for DJ Ware and Andre Brown, though. If Martinek can show that he can do all the things that those two guys can do just as well, then I think it becomes a no-brainer to keep him at the lower salary and work to develop him.
Ed: One of the questions that still needs to be answered is who will play where on the offensive line? What's your best guess at how that shakes out?
Pat: I think that if all of the guys are healthy, the line, from left to right, will be Will Beatty, Mitch Petrus, David Baas, Chris Snee, and David Diehl. I think you keep Boothe as a reserve since he can play center and guard (plus tackle, though I'm not sure that's his best position). I also think you see what the two draft picks bring to the table and if James Brewer is remotely ready for a bigger role, perhaps as the blocking (third)tight end in the jumbo package.