CHASE BLACKBURN DRAWING LOTS OF ATTENTION, BUT NONE FROM GIANTS -UPDATED

[RoanokeFan]

CHASE BLACKBURN DRAWING LOTS OF ATTENTION, BUT NONE FROM GIANTS

"Would the New York
Giants have won Super Bowl XLVI without linebacker <a class="st_tag internal_tag" title="Posts tagged with Chase Blackburn" href="http://www.giants101.com/tag/chase-blackburn/" rel="tag nofollow">Chase
Blackburn</a>? Anything is possible, but probably not likely. The seven-year
veteran rejoined the Giants after a series of injuries to their linebackers and
revitalized the defense. And now, after playing some of the best football of
his career, the soon-to-be free agent is generating a lot of interest across the country.



</p><div style="DISPLAY: none">New York Giants middle linebacker <a class="st_tag internal_tag" title="Posts tagged with Chase Blackburn" href="http://www.giants101.com/tag/chase-blackburn/" rel="tag nofollow">Chase
Blackburn</a> (93) celebrates stopping the Atlanta Falcons on a play in the
second half during their NFL NFC wildcard playoff football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, January 8,
2012. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)</div>
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<blockquote>


“It’s been ridiculous, actually," Richard Katz, Blackburn’s agent, said.
“He's a pretty popular guy. His tale is an incredible tale."</p></blockquote>


Despite his celebrity, the Giants do not appear to be in any rush to
negotiate a new deal with Blackburn. At least not yet, as the team has made no
effort to reach out to him or his camp.</p>
<blockquote>


“I would hate for them to say ‘We can't have <a class="st_tag internal_tag" title="Posts tagged with Chase Blackburn" href="http://www.giants101.com/tag/chase-blackburn/" rel="tag nofollow">Chase
Blackburn</a> in the middle of the defense and take us to the Super Bowl'
because you absolutely cannot say that’s the case," Katz said.</p></blockquote>


Big Blue is expected to re-sign <a class="st_tag internal_tag" title="Posts tagged with Jonathan Goff" href="http://www.giants101.com/tag/jonathan-goff/" rel="tag nofollow">Jonathan
Goff</a>, who is coming off of an ACL tear, and already have <a class="st_tag internal_tag" title="Posts tagged with Mark Herzlich" href="http://www.giants101.com/tag/mark-herzlich/" rel="tag nofollow">Mark
Herzlich</a>, who they have high hopes for, serving as his back-up. Accordingly,
there's no real room for anyone else, making Blackburn, despite heroics, the odd
man out.</p>
<blockquote>


“Chase loves being in New York with the Giants, that's all he knows and all he
wants to know," Katz said.</p></blockquote>


Like David Tyree in 2007-2008, Blackburn's Giants career appears to be
nearing its end after an incredible, game-saving play in the Super Bowl. Unlike
Tyree, however, Blackburn will undoubtedly get a job somewhere else in the NFL and can put
off his teaching career for at least one more year."</p>


</p>

************************************************** *****************</p>

IN-DEMAND BLACKBURN MAY NOT RETURN TO GIANTS</p>

"The requests continue to flow in, one after another as if there’s not enough
of Chase Blackburn to go around.</p><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">


“It’s been ridiculous, actually,’’ Richard Katz, Blackburn’s agent, told The
Post Thursday. “He’s a pretty popular guy. His tale is an incredible tale.’’</p>


The question is whether that tale ended with Blackburn starting at middle
linebacker for the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI or continues into the 2012 season.
The NFL free-agency signing period begins March 13 and the Giants haven’t even
contacted Katz, haven’t expressed any interest in re-signing Blackburn, who was
one of a handful of players who shined brightest of all during the improbable
championship run.
</p>It makes for a strange celebratory ride. Blackburn already has made numerous
personal appearances — this week he was honored with a parade as a hometown hero
in Marysville, Ohio — and is scheduled for many, many more signings and
meet-and-greets.<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">


“I’m asking ‘Do you still want him if he’s not a Giant?’ and they’re all
saying yes,’’ Katz said.</p>


After coming to the Giants’ rescue, Blackburn might not be welcomed back.
After playing six years with the Giants, mostly as a reserve linebacker and top
special teams player — he was that unit’s captain in 2010 — Blackburn didn’t get
any offers in free agency and in late November was sitting at home with his
wife, Megan, and their two young sons a day after the Giants were hammered on
Monday Night Football by the Saints. In that game rookie linebacker Mark
Herzlich, making his first NFL start, went down with a sprained ankle.</p>


Blackburn was considering accepting a job teaching eighth-grade math. The
Giants, after season-ending injuries to Clint Sintim and Jonathan Goff and a
myriad of struggles with their first-year linebackers, finally felt desperate
enough to call Blackburn back to work.</p>


The rest is history. He intercepted Aaron Rodgers of the Packers less than a
week after re-signing and on Dec. 18 moved in as the starting middle linebacker
against the Redskins. The Giants went 6-1 with Blackburn starting and once
again, he made all of the defensive calls in the middle of their defense. He had
a 40-yard fumble return in the NFC title game in San Francisco and a leaping
interception off Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, outmuscling tight end Rob
Gronkowski for the ball in a pivotal change of possession.</p>


Blackburn is once again a free agent and despite his heroics, the Giants
haven’t called.</p>


“Chase loves being in New York with the Giants, that’s all he knows and all
he wants to know,’’ Katz said.</p>


Goff, coming back from reconstructive knee surgery, is expected to re-sign.
Herzlich is considered a prospect at middle linebacker. The Giants are not
viewing Blackburn as the answer at that spot, though he is just 28 .</p>


“I would hate for them to say ‘We can’t have Chase Blackburn in the middle of
the defense and take us to the Super Bowl’ because you absolutely cannot say
that’s the case,’’ Katz said.</p>


***</p>


Coach Tom Coughlin opted to promote from within for two key offensive
positions on his coaching staff. Sean Ryan moves to quarterbacks coach and Kevin
M. Gilbride replaces Ryan as the new receivers coach.</p>


Ryan replaces Mike Sullivan, who recently was hired by the Buccaneers as
their new offensive coordinator. Ryan, 39, previously has been a quarterbacks
coach at the college level at Siena (1997) and Columbia (2007) and for the past
two years was the Giants receivers coach.</p>


“Coach Ryan and I have worked closely together since he was with the
receivers,’’ Eli Manning said. “I’m excited about him and I know we’ll have a
great relationship. We shouldn’t miss a beat.”</p>


Gilbride, 32, is the son of the longtime Giants offensive coordinator and for
the past two years was an offensive assistant. The Giants denied him permission
to speak with the Buccaneers for an interview for their vacant quarterbacks
coach job because they had plans to promote him.</p>


Two coaching spots remain open on Coughlin’s staff: Offensive quality control
and assistant offensive line.</p>


***</p>


CB Terrell Thomas, after missing the entire 2011 season following surgery to
repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, is expected to re-sign with the
Giants.</p>


“The talks with the Giants are going very well,’’ Thomas said on SiriusXM NFL
Radio. “I don’t think they want me to hit the free agent market.’’</p>


***</p>


WR Domenik Hixon, who missed the past two seasons following two separate ACL
surgeries, is expected to re-sign if he passes a physical set for
Friday."</p>
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[TheEnigma]

Welp, thanks for the memories Chase. Once a Giant, always a Giant.

[burier]

[quote user="TheEnigma"]Welp, thanks for the memories Chase. Once a Giant, always a Giant.[/quote]

Maybe once another team signs him people here will stop jockin the man.

People actually want to go into the season with Goff and Blackburn as his backup

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Stop it..I Can't breath!

[JJC7301]

I think Blackburn is better than Goff. I don't understand the FO's love affair with Goff.

[TheEnigma]

[quote user="burier"][quote user="TheEnigma"]Welp, thanks for the memories Chase. Once a Giant, always a Giant.[/quote]

Maybe once another team signs him people here will stop jockin the man.

People actually want to go into the season with Goff and Blackburn as his backup

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Stop it..I Can't breath![/quote]Think you're reading too much into my statement. If it's true that other teams are looking at acquiring Chase, we're not going to get into a bidding war for a 2 down LBer. We will rely on guys like Goff, Jones, or Herzlich who have better upside. Even then, we can just grab one in the draft who is also more athletic and could have potential in the passing game as well.

It sucks since Chase is a good guy but I'm not going to miss him if he goes away. MLB just isn't that important anymore in this defense.

[Martyr]

I really thought the giants would try to bring him back. Who knows maybe blackburn is out of their price range and they know they can't pay him like other teams can. Goff with resign cheap and I hope Blackburn gets a nice pay day and helps another team.

[RoanokeFan]

[quote user="Martyr"]I really thought the giants would try to bring him back. Who knows maybe blackburn is out of their price range and they know they can't pay him like other teams can. Goff with resign cheap and I hope Blackburn gets a nice pay day and helps another team.[/quote]

They may be waiting to see what his price tag is. But the reality is we are not lacking for bodies at linebacker. Health is an issue in some cases, but those guys are rehabbing under the team's direction so the team knows their physical condition and what they can expect from them.

Too early in the process to tell.

[Eli TO Shockey]

I hope chase gets paid. He deserves it.

[buffyblue]

[quote user="Eli TO Shockey"]I hope chase gets paid. He deserves it.[/quote]

Grnated the guy came up big in the SuperBowl but overall he is not very good. Plain and simple.

[RoanokeFan]

[quote user="Eli TO Shockey"]I hope chase gets paid. He deserves it.[/quote]

If his agent isn't blowing smoke, he'll get paid by someone.