Source: Giants hope to re-sign Kevin Boothe and Martellus Bennett before market opens

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...icle-1.1282880

Excerpt: "Three key players from the Giants’ last Super Bowl championship team have already been booted out the door, and it’s possible more could follow in the next few days. The Giants have 16 unrestricted free agents. They’re coming off a disappointing, playoff-less season.

And without much salary cap room to make a big splash in free agency — at least at the moment — this would seem to be the perfect time to … rebuild.

“We don’t use that word,” Tom Coughlin said earlier this week. “I don’t want to lose anybody, but we know it’s a business. Change is always inevitable. But …”

Left unsaid is that the Giants still have a two-time Super Bowl MVP at quarterback and they believe they have a championship core around him. So when the free agent market opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday their priority will be keeping that core together. And then, if they are unable to re-sign players such as tight end Martellus Bennett, safety Kenny Phillips and guard Kevin Boothe, they would look to replace them at reasonable cost.

“You just try to keep as many good players as you can on your roster,” Giants GM Jerry Reese said. “Keep your nucleus intact.”

That’s why the Giants’ top priority this offseason was to re-sign left tackle Will Beatty, which they did on Feb. 27 when they gave him a five-year, $38.75 million deal. According to a team source, they also hope to re-sign Boothe and Bennett before the market opens, though deals do not appear imminent.

How far the Giants can go to re-sign them (or replace them) depends on their actions over the next few days. After restructuring the contract of center David Baas and getting cornerback Corey Webster to agree to a $3 million cut Thursday, the Giants are believed to be about $9 million under the $123 million salary cap. About $6 million to $7 million of that will be taken up by tenders to their three restricted free agents, running back Andre Brown, safety Stevie Brown and receiver Victor Cruz." Read more...

It would be some serious magic if JR can find a way to keep Boothe and Bennett.

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Originally Posted by nhpgiantsfan

It would be some serious magic if JR can find a way to keep Boothe and Bennett.

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I have an idea, cut Deihl and sign Bennett..... not that crazy

Nice to know Bennett is a priority. Sounded previously like they were just going to let him hit the open market.

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Originally Posted by nhpgiantsfan

It would be some serious magic if JR can find a way to keep Boothe and Bennett.

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If he does re-sign them, that would lock down the entire front line (other than RT) from last year's poorly performing unit. That does not excite me in the least. We need to seek meaningful improvement, not more of the same from a group like that.

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The New York Daily News believes the Giants still hope to re-sign free agent Martellus Bennett before the market opens, but a deal isn't "imminent."

It's unclear if the Giants have even made Bennett an offer. Bennett said last week the Giants had "other priorities," and that he wasn't "feeling the love." Bennett's agent can begin negotiating with other clubs on Saturday. He should draw solid interest on the open market.

Source: Ralph Vacchiano on Twitter

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Originally Posted by jomo

If he does re-sign them, that would lock down the entire front line (other than RT) from last year's poorly performing unit. That does not excite me in the least. We need to seek meaningful improvement, not more of the same from a group like that.

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Very true. Perhaps a few for depth after draft? Hard to grasp seeing rooks in the starting roles though. Im a little stumped myself.

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Originally Posted by TAILGATIN'

Very true. Perhaps a few for depth after draft? Hard to grasp seeing rooks in the starting roles though. Im a little stumped myself.

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Hoping against hope we at least upgrade RT in a meaningful way. How exactly are we supposed to covert 3rd and short next year with the same people who couldn't do it last year?

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Originally Posted by nygpolishpunk

I have an idea, cut Deihl and sign Bennett..... not that crazy

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LOL!!! i don't know why reading your post made me bust out laughing, i guess imagined it with a sarcastic smart *** voice lol

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Originally Posted by jomo

If he does re-sign them, that would lock down the entire front line (other than RT) from last year's poorly performing unit. That does not excite me in the least. We need to seek meaningful improvement, not more of the same from a group like that.

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Jomo I was feeling good till I read your post that is a problem same as last year yikes. If we get a RT we may be better. Were into the hope stuff.double yikes