GIANTS' TOPICS TO WATCH AS THE NFL SCOUTING COMBINE GETS UNDERWAY

[RoanokeFan]

GIANTS' TOPICS TO WATCH AS THE NFL SCOUTING COMBINE GETS UNDERWAY (http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2012/02/giants_topics_to_watch_as_the.html)

"One of the things I really enjoy covering each year is the NFL Scouting
Combine in Indianapolis, which gets underway today. It's a real nice couple of
days in which all of the coaches, decision-makers, agents and media types are
all thrown together into the city's compact downtown area.<div class="entry-content">


With such high-profile folks walking around amidst an ever-growing horde of
reporters, no wonder information flows more freely than usual, particularly
because the start of free agency is only days away.</p>


Alas, I will not be able to make it to Indy this year. I have a personal
commitment that's been planned for some time and one I presciently suggested
should be held well after the postseason, just in case the Giants made some kind
of run to the Super Bowl. Every now and then, this blind squirrel finds himself
a nut.</p>


Anyway, our Giants coverage will be entrusted into the capable hands of Jenny
Vrentas, who will be covering both of the local teams out in Indy. I'll try my
best to keep an eye on things from afar but JV will have news for you here.
Also, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/JennyVrentas">follow her on
Twitter</a>.</p>


In the meantime, here's a primer for the Combine in the form of a list of
items that figure to be topics of Giants-related conversation over the next four
days in Indy:</p>


Impending free agents: With free agency starting later than
usual (March 13 this year as opposed to the first few days of March in previous
years), there's been very little news regarding players who are scheduled to be
free agents. By this point, the Giants have usually locked up, or tendered, a
few. As it stands right now, they've re-signed none of their 21 unrestricted
free agents and haven't tendered their restricted free agents: CB Bruce Johnson
and TE Bear Pascoe. (They also have one exclusive-rights free agent in TE Jake
Ballard, whom they'll retain simply by offering a qualifying tender.) In talking
with a bunch of the agents for the 21 UFAs, it's a mixed bag of players who have
been told the team would like to retain them, those who have traded at least a
few numbers in negotiations and those who haven't heard a peep from the team,
which may or may not be an indication they'll be back. All three categories of
players might receive some more concrete information in face-to-face meetings in
Indy.</p>


Potential cuts: And players who might be traded. In this
case, we mean RB Brandon Jacobs and DE Osi Umenyiora. Jacobs is owed $4.9
million this season while Umenyiora hasn't been happy about his contract since,
roughly, the ink dried back in 2005. Jacobs' situation is more pressing for the
Giants because they need to clear salary-cap space and owe him a roster bonus of
$500,000 next month. Umenyiora, who is set to earn a base salary of $3.975
million this season, could be left to twist in the wind a bit until draft time
in April - or beyond that, should the Giants decide to do nothing and expect him
to report to OTAs, minicamp and training camp on time. Still, there could be
news on the Jacobs and Umenyiora fronts this weekend. Stay tuned.</p>


Coaching changes: Indications the past few days have been
Tom Coughlin plans to meet with a couple of candidates for quarterbacks coach, a
spot vacated by <a href="http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2012/02/eli_manning_is_sad_to_see_qb_c.html">Mike
Sullivan's being hired as offensive coordinator by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a>.
Coughlin must also name a new assistant offensive line coach. As always when it
comes to Coughlin's coaching searches, few names have leaked. Perhaps in a few
days we'll have a better feel for which candidates are leading the way.</p>


Injury updates: Does Justin Tuck need shoulder surgery? What
about Ahmad Bradshaw's foot? Plus, how are the rehabs of potential free agents
Terrell Thomas and Jonathan Goff going? The Giants aren't loose with injury
information, though Jerry Reese often provides good info at his Combine press
conference, which is annually held on Saturday morning.</p>


Odds and ends: As I mentioned, Reese's presser is on
Saturday morning. Coughlin will address the media at 12:15 p.m. Friday. Look for
updates on all kinds of topics in addition to the ones listed above.</p>


NFL Draft buzz: Oh yeah, and they also scout a bunch of
Draft-eligible guys, too. Almost forgot about that - though the Giants' guys and
all front offices haven't. In fact, there was a day during Super Bowl week when
I saw director of college scouting Marc Ross walking through the team's hotel as
the players and coaches were at practice. He was headed to watch film on
prospects. Interesting gig, that job of his. Always looking forward, never at
the present, even when the team is in the Super Bowl."</p></div>

[ibbill]

I find it hard to understand OSI 4 Mil for the year is not fair. Not sure many teams will offer him much more than that.

[TuckYou]

I find it hard to understand OSI 4 Mil for the year is not fair. Not sure many teams will offer him much more than that.</P>


Its not the fact that he wants more then 4M this year, its he want years and $$ put on in the following years down the road. Probably wants a deal like 4 years 20M or something. 4M-5M-5M-6M. Something we cant really do and excpect to keep Tuck, Kiwiand JPP. On top of resigning Nicks and Cruz to big deals. </P>

[TuckYou]

In fact, there was a day during Super Bowl week when I saw director of college scouting Marc Ross walking through the team's hotel as the players and coaches were at practice. He was headed to watch film on prospects. Interesting gig, that job of his. Always looking forward, never at the present, even when the team is in the Super Bowl."
</P>


A lot of people dont even know how important Ross is to this team in the recruiting and scouting of "Reese's Pieces".</P>
<DIV class=bd>
<DIV class=bio-short-content>


Marc Ross is in his fifth season as the Giants’ Director of College Scouting. Ross is in charge of the Giants’ college scouting department and the team’s draft. He joined the organization on May 18, 2007 and ran his first organizational draft the next year, when the Giants selected Kenny Phillips, Terrell Thomas and Mario Manningham, among others.</P>


Ross came to the Giants from the Buffalo Bills, for whom he spent three seasons as a national college scout.</P>


Ross’ first NFL job was as a public relations training camp intern with the Giants in 1995. After leaving camp, Ross worked in Columbia University’s athletics department.</P>


Ross returned to the NFL with the Eagles’ personnel department during the club’s 1996 training camp. He was the team’s eastern regional scout from 1997 until 2000, when, at age 27, he became the NFL’s youngest college scouting director. During his tenure in Philadelphia, Ross was responsible for drafting such outstanding NFL Players as Brian Westbrook, Lito Sheppard and Derrick Burgess.</P>


After seven years with the Eagles’ organization, Ross joined the Bills in the spring of 2004 as a national college scout.</P>


Ross was an All-Ivy League wide receiver at Princeton in 1993 and 94. He holds five school records, including one as a receiver (a 20.2-yard average per catch in 1993) and four as a punt returner (most career returns, 74; most career return yards, 696; most returns in a season, 32 in 1994 and most yards in a game, 161 on six returns vs. Cornell in 1994).</P>


Ross earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Princeton and a master’s degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts in 1997.</P>


A native of Sharon Hill, Penn., Ross and his wife, Pualani, have a daughter, Skylar, who was born in 2006.</P></DIV></DIV>