Chris Crockett'Super' Free Agents
February 22nd 2012 03:10
Hello everybody! My name is Chris and I have taken over this domain name, and the past three posts are mine. Anything before that is not my work and I do not take credit for it.
A championship can do a lot for a player. From a publicity standpoint or a monetary standpoint, a ring solidifies your place in the NFL. One of the hardest things to do for a professional athlete is to walk away from a team they have spent an entire season with, much less one that ran the table and won their respective championship. Here I will take a look at the free agent situation for the New York Giants, as some of their players are in for quite the payday whether it be from the Giants or another suitor.
TE Jake Ballard
2011 Stats: 38 Catches, 604 Yards, 4 TDs
Who can forget the diving catch Ballard made in the corner of the end zone to beat the Patriots in Foxboro? And who can forget the way it all ended for Ballard in the Super Bowl, first suffering an apparent knee injury on the field then collapsing in pain when trying to make a cut on the sidelines. He plays very similar to how Kevin Boss played with the Giants in years past. Turns out his ACL was torn, and will start next year on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He is an exclusive rights free agent, and the Giants have already said they will resign him.
WR Mario Manningham
2011 Stats: 39 Catches, 523 Yards, 4 TDs
"Make 'em go to Manningham", words Bill Belichick will regret for the rest of his life. Although Eli didn't look Manningham's way during the regular season all that often, he sure came up huge in the playoffs. His signature catch was the beautiful sideline grab right in front of the Patriots bench on the final drive of the Super Bowl, with Patriot players and personnel signaling no catch, to no avail. You've seen what spectacular catches on the biggest of stages can do for a player (see Holmes, Santonio), and I wouldn't be surprised if someone threw a big chunk of change at Mario. Giants must do everything they can to retain this guy, but my gut feeling is that he follows the dollar signs elsewhere.
CB Terrell Thomas
2011 Stats: Did not play
Thomas was arguably the best corner the Giants had coming into camp, but his season ended all too soon with a torn ACL during the preseason. You've seen before how the Giants handled players coming off of injuries a la Steve Smith. Look for Thomas to sign a 1-year deal elsewhere for him to prove himself again.
CB Aaron Ross
2011 Stats: 60 Tackles, 4 Interceptions
Ross is a slightly above average corner at best. He had lots of promise coming out of Texas with such a tall, lanky frame. Seemed like a ballhawk in the making, but it really never panned out for Ross. He was drafted back in 2007, the same year as Darrelle Revis. It's pretty clear which New York team got the better cornerback in this draft. The Giants secondary came together during the playoffs, shutting out Matt Ryan, limiting Aaron Rodgers, doing just enough against Alex Smith, and stepping up when it counted against Tom Brady. I think the Giants resign Ross and keep the Ross/Webster tandem together for a few more years.
WR Domenik Hixon
2011 Stats: 4 Catches, 50 Yards, 1 TD
Poor Hixon. Two years, two right knee ACL tears. This time he tore it on a juggling catch in the end zone. The former standout kick returner has a long road back to the NFL, but it'll surely not be with the Giants. In fact, Hixon is probably the reason for the emergence of Victor Cruz, as his injury allowed Cruz to climb the depth chart, and the rest is history.
WR Devin Thomas
2011 Stats: 3 Catches, 37 Yards
You may look at these stats and ask yourself, "Why is he even evaluating this guy?!". Well, because Thomas played a huge role in special teams for the G-Men this year. He came up huge with two fumble recoveries in the NFC Championship game thanks to Kyle Williams. Thomas also averaged a respectable 25 yards per kick return, but will probably look for a bigger role in an offense elsewhere. However, if Manningham were to depart, I could see the Giants resigning Thomas to add depth to their receiving core, as Thomas is a former 2nd round pick of the Washington Redskins and certainly had potential coming out of Michigan State.
TE Bear Pascoe
2011 Stats: 12 Catches, 136 Yards
Pascoe was the third tight end on the depth chart heading into Super Sunday. By halftime, he found himself trotting out on the field for just about every play. With the injury bug hitting Travis Beckum followed by Jake Ballard, Pascoe was the only healthy tight end remaining for Tom Coughlin. More of a blocker than pass catcher, the Giants find themselves in a peculiar situation with this position. Both Beckum and Ballard will start the season on the PUP list, and Pascoe is an unrestricted free agent. Will the Giants go for broke and try and sign someone like Jermichael Finley or Fred Davis if they are not franchised by their respective teams? Eli has not had an elite tight end since Jeremy Shockey back in his heyday. Pascoe will more than likely be resigned for his blocking ability.
P Steve Weatherford
2011 Stats: 45.7 Yards per Punt, 25 Inside the 20
This man was an absolute godsend for Coughlin and Giants fans alike. After being spoiled by Jeff Feagles' ability to pin opponents inside their own 10 with ease, Giant fans everywhere held their breath whenever Matt Dodge punted the ball back in 2010, and it culminated with a giant sigh of disappointment thanks to DeSean Jackson in the Miracle at the Meadowlands: Part II. Weatherford is a fan favorite in New York, and how often do you say that about the team's punter? Look for Weatherford to be resigned for the 2012 season and beyond.
OT Kareem McKenzie
An anchor on the offensive line since 2005 for the Giants, Kareem's run in New York may finally end this year. We have seen a minor overhaul of the offensive line before the 2011 season began with the release of Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert. That overhaul may continue with McKenzie entering the latter of his career at the age of 32. The Giants may look to the draft to fill the void left by McKenzie, but don't be surprised if he sticks around with the Giants with a 1 or 2 year deal, taking him to age 33 or 34, respectively.
DE Dave Tollefson
2011 Stats: 21 Tackles, 5 Sacks
Tollefson was the forgotten man along the Giants defensive line, but he certainly played well above average for the fourth defensive end on the depth chart. With Pierre-Paul, Tuck, and Osi ahead of him, Tollefson may look elsewhere to perhaps claim a starting job with another team.
LB Chase Blackburn
2011 Stats: 26 Tackles, 1 Interception
Giants, if you are reading, resign Chase immediately! After being a special teams player for 6 years for the G-Men, he was not resigned after the 2010 season. Blackburn rekindled this defense after being resigned just before the week 13 game against the Packers. He intercepted Aaron Rodgers in his first start, and never looked back. His signature play was boxing out Rob Gronkowski forty-something yards downfield making a leaping interception in the third quarter of the Super Bowl. Chase was considering a career in teaching just last November, now he is a Super Bowl champion for a second time and is looking at a long term deal from the Giants.
LB Jonathan Goff
2011 Stats: Did not play
It seems like every other player analyzed had a torn ACL. Goff was another casualty of the dirtiest three-letter acronym in all of sports. He was the starter before his injury, but there is little reason to believe he will be back with the Giants, especially on a long term deal. As previously mentioned, the Giants are very hesitant to sign players coming off of significant injuries, and that will apply here also.
S Deon Grant
2011 Stats: 64 Tackles, 1 Interception
The elder of the Giants secondary, Deon got his first Super Bowl ring after falling short in Carolina. He's been on four teams during his NFL career, and has never missed a game during his NFL tenure. That's very impressive for someone who entered the league way back in 2000. His endurance cannot be questioned, nor can his leadership abilities as he was one of the emotional leaders of this defense. Being 32, his time in the league is running short, but look for the Giants to try and keep Grant in the short-term.
A championship can do a lot for a player. From a publicity standpoint or a monetary standpoint, a ring solidifies your place in the NFL. One of the hardest things to do for a professional athlete is to walk away from a team they have spent an entire season with, much less one that ran the table and won their respective championship. Here I will take a look at the free agent situation for the New York Giants, as some of their players are in for quite the payday whether it be from the Giants or another suitor.
TE Jake Ballard
2011 Stats: 38 Catches, 604 Yards, 4 TDs
Who can forget the diving catch Ballard made in the corner of the end zone to beat the Patriots in Foxboro? And who can forget the way it all ended for Ballard in the Super Bowl, first suffering an apparent knee injury on the field then collapsing in pain when trying to make a cut on the sidelines. He plays very similar to how Kevin Boss played with the Giants in years past. Turns out his ACL was torn, and will start next year on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He is an exclusive rights free agent, and the Giants have already said they will resign him.
WR Mario Manningham
2011 Stats: 39 Catches, 523 Yards, 4 TDs
"Make 'em go to Manningham", words Bill Belichick will regret for the rest of his life. Although Eli didn't look Manningham's way during the regular season all that often, he sure came up huge in the playoffs. His signature catch was the beautiful sideline grab right in front of the Patriots bench on the final drive of the Super Bowl, with Patriot players and personnel signaling no catch, to no avail. You've seen what spectacular catches on the biggest of stages can do for a player (see Holmes, Santonio), and I wouldn't be surprised if someone threw a big chunk of change at Mario. Giants must do everything they can to retain this guy, but my gut feeling is that he follows the dollar signs elsewhere.
CB Terrell Thomas
2011 Stats: Did not play
Thomas was arguably the best corner the Giants had coming into camp, but his season ended all too soon with a torn ACL during the preseason. You've seen before how the Giants handled players coming off of injuries a la Steve Smith. Look for Thomas to sign a 1-year deal elsewhere for him to prove himself again.
CB Aaron Ross
2011 Stats: 60 Tackles, 4 Interceptions
Ross is a slightly above average corner at best. He had lots of promise coming out of Texas with such a tall, lanky frame. Seemed like a ballhawk in the making, but it really never panned out for Ross. He was drafted back in 2007, the same year as Darrelle Revis. It's pretty clear which New York team got the better cornerback in this draft. The Giants secondary came together during the playoffs, shutting out Matt Ryan, limiting Aaron Rodgers, doing just enough against Alex Smith, and stepping up when it counted against Tom Brady. I think the Giants resign Ross and keep the Ross/Webster tandem together for a few more years.
WR Domenik Hixon
2011 Stats: 4 Catches, 50 Yards, 1 TD
Poor Hixon. Two years, two right knee ACL tears. This time he tore it on a juggling catch in the end zone. The former standout kick returner has a long road back to the NFL, but it'll surely not be with the Giants. In fact, Hixon is probably the reason for the emergence of Victor Cruz, as his injury allowed Cruz to climb the depth chart, and the rest is history.
WR Devin Thomas
2011 Stats: 3 Catches, 37 Yards
You may look at these stats and ask yourself, "Why is he even evaluating this guy?!". Well, because Thomas played a huge role in special teams for the G-Men this year. He came up huge with two fumble recoveries in the NFC Championship game thanks to Kyle Williams. Thomas also averaged a respectable 25 yards per kick return, but will probably look for a bigger role in an offense elsewhere. However, if Manningham were to depart, I could see the Giants resigning Thomas to add depth to their receiving core, as Thomas is a former 2nd round pick of the Washington Redskins and certainly had potential coming out of Michigan State.
TE Bear Pascoe
2011 Stats: 12 Catches, 136 Yards
Pascoe was the third tight end on the depth chart heading into Super Sunday. By halftime, he found himself trotting out on the field for just about every play. With the injury bug hitting Travis Beckum followed by Jake Ballard, Pascoe was the only healthy tight end remaining for Tom Coughlin. More of a blocker than pass catcher, the Giants find themselves in a peculiar situation with this position. Both Beckum and Ballard will start the season on the PUP list, and Pascoe is an unrestricted free agent. Will the Giants go for broke and try and sign someone like Jermichael Finley or Fred Davis if they are not franchised by their respective teams? Eli has not had an elite tight end since Jeremy Shockey back in his heyday. Pascoe will more than likely be resigned for his blocking ability.
P Steve Weatherford
2011 Stats: 45.7 Yards per Punt, 25 Inside the 20
This man was an absolute godsend for Coughlin and Giants fans alike. After being spoiled by Jeff Feagles' ability to pin opponents inside their own 10 with ease, Giant fans everywhere held their breath whenever Matt Dodge punted the ball back in 2010, and it culminated with a giant sigh of disappointment thanks to DeSean Jackson in the Miracle at the Meadowlands: Part II. Weatherford is a fan favorite in New York, and how often do you say that about the team's punter? Look for Weatherford to be resigned for the 2012 season and beyond.
OT Kareem McKenzie
An anchor on the offensive line since 2005 for the Giants, Kareem's run in New York may finally end this year. We have seen a minor overhaul of the offensive line before the 2011 season began with the release of Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert. That overhaul may continue with McKenzie entering the latter of his career at the age of 32. The Giants may look to the draft to fill the void left by McKenzie, but don't be surprised if he sticks around with the Giants with a 1 or 2 year deal, taking him to age 33 or 34, respectively.
DE Dave Tollefson
2011 Stats: 21 Tackles, 5 Sacks
Tollefson was the forgotten man along the Giants defensive line, but he certainly played well above average for the fourth defensive end on the depth chart. With Pierre-Paul, Tuck, and Osi ahead of him, Tollefson may look elsewhere to perhaps claim a starting job with another team.
LB Chase Blackburn
2011 Stats: 26 Tackles, 1 Interception
Giants, if you are reading, resign Chase immediately! After being a special teams player for 6 years for the G-Men, he was not resigned after the 2010 season. Blackburn rekindled this defense after being resigned just before the week 13 game against the Packers. He intercepted Aaron Rodgers in his first start, and never looked back. His signature play was boxing out Rob Gronkowski forty-something yards downfield making a leaping interception in the third quarter of the Super Bowl. Chase was considering a career in teaching just last November, now he is a Super Bowl champion for a second time and is looking at a long term deal from the Giants.
LB Jonathan Goff
2011 Stats: Did not play
It seems like every other player analyzed had a torn ACL. Goff was another casualty of the dirtiest three-letter acronym in all of sports. He was the starter before his injury, but there is little reason to believe he will be back with the Giants, especially on a long term deal. As previously mentioned, the Giants are very hesitant to sign players coming off of significant injuries, and that will apply here also.
S Deon Grant
2011 Stats: 64 Tackles, 1 Interception
The elder of the Giants secondary, Deon got his first Super Bowl ring after falling short in Carolina. He's been on four teams during his NFL career, and has never missed a game during his NFL tenure. That's very impressive for someone who entered the league way back in 2000. His endurance cannot be questioned, nor can his leadership abilities as he was one of the emotional leaders of this defense. Being 32, his time in the league is running short, but look for the Giants to try and keep Grant in the short-term.
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