Giant Football Blog

Giants cut Will P.; sign QB

The Giants cut veteran cornerback Will Peterson Friday and signed quarterback Rob Johnson to compete for the backup spot behind Eli Manning. Peterson, like fellow corner Will Allen, had an immediate impact as a rookie in 2001 and was the starting right corner by the end of that season. But injuries limited him to only one full season, and he played only two games last season before a possible stress fracture in his back ended his season.

Peterson had been rehabbing on his own and checking in with the Giants' medical staff."We just had him here for a battery of tests and reached the conclusion we could not wait any longer," Giants GM Ernie Accorsi said. "This is a very disappointing development for our ball club." Continue

Giants sign DT Ioane

Continuing to stockpile defensive tackles who might be able to fill their vacancy at nose tackle, the Giants yesterday signed Junior Ioane, a 6-4, 331-pound veteran of six seasons. Ioane was originally a 2000 fourth-round draft pick of the Raiders out of Arizona State and spent the past three years with the Texans. He has 54 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks in his career. He'll join a group of nose tackle hopefuls that include Damane Duckett, Jonas Seawright and rookie Barry Cofield. Continue

Giants wait for Fiedler

The Giants are willing to wait for Jay Fiedler to get healthy, and when he is, they are anxious to see if he fits as their backup quarterback. "When the time comes, we'll work him out," GM Ernie Accorsi said yesterday. "We're interested in him." If this sounds like a recurring theme that's because it is. The Giants wanted to sign Fiedler a year ago but he opted to revisit his Long Island roots and play for the Jets, sensing he'd have a better shot to get on the field with Chad Pennington coming off shoulder surgery than he did backing up Eli Manning. Continue

Keeping nose clean

Jonas Seawright hasn't played a down in the NFL, but he was a veteran during the Giants' two-day rookie minicamp that ended yesterday. Seawright spent last season on the Giants' practice squad, working on all the aspects of being a pro. The 6-6, 340-pound defensive tackle hasn't only been honing his technique and getting a consistent pad level and push against the offensive line; he needed to learn the basics of being a man in the NFL.

"It was even the little things, like pulling your pants up and respecting the people around you more," Seawright said between workouts. "Coach [Tom] Coughlin and [defensive line coach Mike] Waufle both sat me down and talked to me about it last year. I had to adjust to the whole atmosphere." Continue

Empty feeling

This is an exciting time for Gerris Wilkinson, embarking on his NFL career in this weekend's Giants rookie mini camp, joining a team thrilled to have him, a team that has big plans for a versatile linebacker who they like as much as a person as they do as a player. "You couldn't ask for more," Wilkinson said. Of course, he can wish for so much more. As Mother's Day arrived and passed, Wilkinson once again felt the ache in his heart at the absence of his mother, Denise Bowers, who died last Nov. 16 at the age of 49 after a struggle with intestinal cancer.

Just a few days later, Wilkinson played exceedingly well, recording six tackles in helping Georgia Tech to a 14-10 upset of No. 3 Miami, explaining "it was kind of an inspiration" to play so shortly after such a difficult moment. "People always say, 'That's what she would have wanted me to do,' " Wilkinson said. "I mean, that's what my family gave me the blessing for me to do." Continue

Kiwanuka fiting in Giants

Forget about buying off the rack for Mathias Kiwanuka, who stands 6 feet, 5 inches, weighs 265 pounds, and might be able to avoid the custom-tailoring route except for his exceptionally long arms. "Through the chest it's fine," Kiwanuka said of store-bought shirts, "but once you get to getting 'em all the way to my wrist it's a little problem."

The great wingspan is merely one of the reasons the Giants believe Kiwanuka can develop into a formidable pass rusher. His reach and innate ability to get to the quarterback has scouts likening him to Jevon Kearse.  "I've heard a lot of different comparisons," Kiwanuka said yesterday between practices at rookie mini-camp. "Right now I'm just trying to be the first me." Continue

Jint rookies converge for mini-camp

Seven draft picks, 16 signed free agents and several others invited by the Giants for tryouts will assemble this weekend at Giants Stadium for a rookie mini-camp that always excites front-office types and coaches anxious to get a look at the new talent on the scene. It was at this camp two years ago that a nervous Eli Manning saw his first pass for the Giants careen off a blocking sled. There's no hotshot quarterback prospect this time around, but, as always, the Giants have a stable of youngsters they believe will be vital to their growth and depth.

First-round pick Mathias Kiwanuka, a defensive end from Boston College, will be on hand, as will second-rounder Sinorice Moss, a jet-quick receiver from Miami. The coaching staff is particularly excited by Gerris Wilkinson, a linebacker from Georgia Tech who many in the organization believe one day in the near future will be the replacement for Carlos Emmons on the weak side. Continue

Arr freshener

Relaxed and smiling freely, LaVar Arrington was holding court this week when Michael Strahan rushed into the Giants locker room, searching for an iPod to take with him to a quick workout on the treadmill. Arrington nodded subtly at Strahan, who for nearly a decade has been the centerpiece of the Giants defense. "He's been the pillar of this defense for so long," Arrington acknowledged. "I'm not here to compete to be the face of the team or a defense or the leader."

Arrington was all those things in Washington, where he made three Pro Bowls with the Redskins and was either credited or blamed for everything that went right or wrong. Feeling he has a new lease on his professional life, Arrington sees a plethora of star power on his new team and says he wants nothing more than to blend in. Continue

Coughlin wants Arrington to be disruptive

Tom Coughlin gave a quick preview of his team's defensive alignment on the second draft day, casually mentioning that LaVar Arrington would be the Giants' starting strong-side linebacker, not weak-side as Arrington played last year with the Redskins.

For Arrington, the alignment doesn't matter. He knows his mission is to attack and get into the opposing backfield, just as it is for Pro Bowl defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan, and as it will be for whichever other pass-rushers make it onto the field: second-year end Justin Tuck, rookie end Mathias Kiwanuka and anyone else who can fit into defensive coordinator Tim Lewis' scheme.

"The type of personnel we have, it allows us to do so many things," Arrington said yesterday. "You're going to see a lot of different looks from us ... Coach Lewis says he wants me closer to the ball. That means closer to the quarterback. The plan is for me to be disruptive." Continue

Tuck: IllL 'End' up just fine

The Giants went with the theory that you cannot have too many pass rushers when they selected Mathias Kiwanuka in the first round of the NFL Draft. Before they made the pick, Justin Tuck might have agreed. Now, the second-year defensive end is not so sure. "I think we got enough right now," Tuck said yesterday. He smiled faintly as he spoke, knowing well that the addition of Kiwanuka means a potential diminution of his playing time. Continue

Moss quick pick

The first time Sinorice Moss was told he was too small to play football was back in high school, when he was admittedly "real small." He stood just 5-6 and weighed only 165. Five years later, Moss is only two inches and 20 pounds bigger. But he is convinced he is more than big enough for the NFL. So are the Giants, which is why they traded up in the second round of last weekend's NFL draft to nab the small but speedy receiver from Miami. His size wasn't a concern because of speed they described as "explosive." And Moss said he makes up for what he lacks in stature with what he has inside.

"I have a big heart," Moss said yesterday. "That never stopped (just) because I was shorter than other people." That heart and the ability to run a 4.3 in the 40 helped Moss catch 37 passes for 614 yards and six touchdowns last year as a senior. And it didn't hurt that he was inspired by his older brother, Santana, who was one of the NFL's best receivers last season (84 catches, 1,483 yards, nine TDs) despite standing 5-10. Continue

Jumping from hoops

Jai Lewis knows a thing or two about doing the impossible. After all, who thought he'd be able to help lead George Mason's basketball team to the Final Four? Now, one month after that miracle run ended, he's got another impossible task in front of him: Trying to make the Giants as an undrafted free agent, even though he hasn't played a football game in five years. "When you have a lot of people telling you that you can't do something, you just want to use that to prove them wrong," said Lewis, who signed with the Giants yesterday.

"You use that negative energy to fuel you to prove them wrong." He'll need a lot of fuel because the odds are stacked against him has he tries to make the transition from small school center/power forward to NFL tight end or offensive tackle - especially since he's never played offensive line. His last football game was as a senior at Aberdeen High School in Maryland, where he was a good enough defensive end and tight end that he drew interest from North Carolina and Virginia Tech. Continue

Accorsi basks in final draft

Unless something unexpected transpires, this past weekend's NFL Draft was the final one orchestrated by Ernie Accorsi, the Giants GM since 1998. The draft is Accorsi's Super Bowl, his favorite time of the year. "This is the real joy of the business," Accorsi said yesterday. "I enjoy the off-season a heck of a lot more than the season. I'm not going to miss the games at all."

Accorsi was set to retire after last season but the deaths of co-owners Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch made him feel as if the timing wasn't right for him to leave. He plans on walking away after this season. "I keep telling him you should never say never," coach Tom Coughlin said. "He's been great for me to work with. He's done a super job since I've been on board."  Continue

Spell of success

This was no Tom, Dick and Harry draft for the Giants, who during this past weekend added a Mathias, a Sinorice, a Gerris, a Gerrick and one Guy. As spell checks groaned, the Giants cheered their good fortune. Picking down near the bottom of every round, the Giants knew this would be no blockbuster, but if their best-laid plans work out, they added a pass rusher now and for the future in Mathias Kiwanuka, a tiny matchup nightmare in receiver Sinorice Moss, depth at linebacker in Gerris Wilkinson and a possible left tackle for the future in Guy Whimper. Continue