RoanokeFan
02-26-2012, 11:20 AM
GIANTS' GM JERRY REESE WARMING TO OSI UMENYIORA (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/ny-giants-gm-jerry-reese-osi-umenyiora-brighter-days-super-bowl-xlvi-win-england-patriots-article-1.1028637)
"The iciness of last summer seems to have thawed.<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: left; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; COLOR: #000000; OVERFLOW: hidden; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; TEXT-DECORATION: none"><div class="story-body p402_premium" itemprop="articleBody">
When the 2011 season began, a disgruntled Osi Umenyiora (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Osi+Umenyiora) didn’t
even want to be a Giant. And a resolute GM Jerry Reese (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jerry+Reese) was
prepared for a standoff.</p>
One dramatic Super Bowl run later, both parties have warmed up to each other,
a timely change of heart that at least leaves the door slightly ajar for
Umenyiora to finish his career as a Giant. Six months ago, that notion seemed
far-fetched, yet there Reese was on Saturday at the NFL Combine, saying that he
would be open to discussing a contract extension with the 30-year-old
pass-rushing defensive end.</p>
“It could happen,” Reese said. “But we have a lot of issues to look at, and
we just have to formulate a good game plan and see if we can get it done.”</p>
Reese said there have been no contract discussions yet, and he hasn’t spoken
to Umenyiora since the Giants’ parade up the Canyon of Heroes. Umenyiora will
earn $4 million this season, the final year of his six-year $41 million deal. He
made nine sacks last season despite missing seven games battling knee and ankle
injuries. He added 3½ more sacks in the postseason, including a crucial strip
sack of Aaron Rodgers (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Aaron+Rodgers) in the
upset win over the Packers in the divisional round.</p>
Umenyiora remains one of the league’s most underpaid elite pass-rushers, but
his frustration over that has cooled. He began this offseason by promising to
stay “really quiet” in a radio interview, and on Friday, during a SiriusXM NFL
Radio interview, he quipped that “if it came down to me making less to stay
here, I would.”</p>
Reese called much of the preseason circus surrounding Umenyiora “overblown a
little bit,” and added that Umenyiora’s play was “terrific” during the Giants’
playoff run. He said he’s had a handful of positive conversations with
Umenyiora, too.</p>
“I think he loves the Giants,” Reese said. “He loves to play football. He’s
been with us his entire career, and I think he’d like to retire a Giant.”</p>
It won’t be easy to make that dream a reality because the Giants are hardly
in a prime salary-cap position. Teams won’t know their official 2012 cap figure
until next month, but Reese admitted that the Giants are in no position to spend
freely.</p>
“We have some work to do,” he said.</p>
And plenty of players to pay. Any Umenyiora extension must take into account
the future of the Giants’ defensive line. Justin Tuck (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Justin+Tuck)’s current
deal will expire in two years. And if Umenyiora gets a monster extension, how
will the Giants compensate phenom <a title="Jason Pierre-Paul" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jason+Pierre-Paul">Jason
Pierre-Paul</a>, who is signed through 2015 but scheduled to make just $825,000
this season?</p>
The Giants must also find money to re-sign 21 unrestricted free agents,
including corner Terrell Thomas (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Terrell+Thomas) — who
missed all of 2011 with a right ACL tear — and punter <a title="Steve Weatherford" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Steve+Weatherford">Steve
Weatherford</a>, and they must find a way to placate breakout receiver <a title="Victor Cruz" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Victor+Cruz">Victor
Cruz</a>, who is already clamoring for a raise after making just $490,000 in
2011 despite being the third leading receiver in the entire league.</p>
Still, Reese did maintain that the Giants are prepared to at least consider
some kind of extension for Umenyiora. And that’s a far better situation than
anything the Giants seemed set for last summer.</p>
“We are open to everything right now,” said Reese. “But we don’t know what we
can do right now.”</p></div></div>
"The iciness of last summer seems to have thawed.<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: left; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; COLOR: #000000; OVERFLOW: hidden; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; TEXT-DECORATION: none"><div class="story-body p402_premium" itemprop="articleBody">
When the 2011 season began, a disgruntled Osi Umenyiora (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Osi+Umenyiora) didn’t
even want to be a Giant. And a resolute GM Jerry Reese (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jerry+Reese) was
prepared for a standoff.</p>
One dramatic Super Bowl run later, both parties have warmed up to each other,
a timely change of heart that at least leaves the door slightly ajar for
Umenyiora to finish his career as a Giant. Six months ago, that notion seemed
far-fetched, yet there Reese was on Saturday at the NFL Combine, saying that he
would be open to discussing a contract extension with the 30-year-old
pass-rushing defensive end.</p>
“It could happen,” Reese said. “But we have a lot of issues to look at, and
we just have to formulate a good game plan and see if we can get it done.”</p>
Reese said there have been no contract discussions yet, and he hasn’t spoken
to Umenyiora since the Giants’ parade up the Canyon of Heroes. Umenyiora will
earn $4 million this season, the final year of his six-year $41 million deal. He
made nine sacks last season despite missing seven games battling knee and ankle
injuries. He added 3½ more sacks in the postseason, including a crucial strip
sack of Aaron Rodgers (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Aaron+Rodgers) in the
upset win over the Packers in the divisional round.</p>
Umenyiora remains one of the league’s most underpaid elite pass-rushers, but
his frustration over that has cooled. He began this offseason by promising to
stay “really quiet” in a radio interview, and on Friday, during a SiriusXM NFL
Radio interview, he quipped that “if it came down to me making less to stay
here, I would.”</p>
Reese called much of the preseason circus surrounding Umenyiora “overblown a
little bit,” and added that Umenyiora’s play was “terrific” during the Giants’
playoff run. He said he’s had a handful of positive conversations with
Umenyiora, too.</p>
“I think he loves the Giants,” Reese said. “He loves to play football. He’s
been with us his entire career, and I think he’d like to retire a Giant.”</p>
It won’t be easy to make that dream a reality because the Giants are hardly
in a prime salary-cap position. Teams won’t know their official 2012 cap figure
until next month, but Reese admitted that the Giants are in no position to spend
freely.</p>
“We have some work to do,” he said.</p>
And plenty of players to pay. Any Umenyiora extension must take into account
the future of the Giants’ defensive line. Justin Tuck (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Justin+Tuck)’s current
deal will expire in two years. And if Umenyiora gets a monster extension, how
will the Giants compensate phenom <a title="Jason Pierre-Paul" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jason+Pierre-Paul">Jason
Pierre-Paul</a>, who is signed through 2015 but scheduled to make just $825,000
this season?</p>
The Giants must also find money to re-sign 21 unrestricted free agents,
including corner Terrell Thomas (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Terrell+Thomas) — who
missed all of 2011 with a right ACL tear — and punter <a title="Steve Weatherford" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Steve+Weatherford">Steve
Weatherford</a>, and they must find a way to placate breakout receiver <a title="Victor Cruz" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Victor+Cruz">Victor
Cruz</a>, who is already clamoring for a raise after making just $490,000 in
2011 despite being the third leading receiver in the entire league.</p>
Still, Reese did maintain that the Giants are prepared to at least consider
some kind of extension for Umenyiora. And that’s a far better situation than
anything the Giants seemed set for last summer.</p>
“We are open to everything right now,” said Reese. “But we don’t know what we
can do right now.”</p></div></div>