Giants DT Barry Cofield: 'I want my fair chance to go out there and secure my future'
Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 5:00 AM
Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger By Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

Growing up a Cleveland Indians fan, Barry Cofield has certainly experienced plenty of hurt.

So perhaps it was fitting he was sitting in Progressive Field last month, watching his hometown team play, when he received a flurry of text messages telling him the Giants had drafted a defensive tackle in the second round for the second straight year.

Except for one thing: Cofield felt no hurt. Just a pang for a shot to get what he deserves.

“It almost gave me a sense of closure. It just made me think my time’s probably up,” Cofield said yesterday after a workout at TEST Sports Clubs in Martinsville. “I don’t feel pressure, uptightness or anger when they draft a guy. I just want my fair chance.

“They gave me my fair chance last year. I went on the field and proved it. And now I want my fair chance to go out there and secure my future.”

Cofield has been waiting for that chance for more than a year now.

A five-year starter who has 10½ sacks (including a career-high four last season) and has missed only one game to injury, Cofield has been a bargain for the Giants since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2006. He completed a four-year contract worth approximately $2.5 million and then, because of the uncapped season last year, made an additional $1.7 million for his fifth year of service as a restricted free agent.

Cofield is hardly roughing it, and he understands that. But as he looked at the depth chart, he might be considered underpaid. He lined up next to Chris Canty ($7 million average per season) and played ahead of last year’s second-round pick Linval Joseph, whose signing bonus was nearly as big as Cofield’s base salary last season.

Now, with the lockout still in place and the draft having preceded free agency, Cofield watched his leverage shrink when the Giants drafted Marvin Austin and other teams also selected defensive tackles.

So when he sees players such as Reggie Bush and Wes Welker saying they’re enjoying the lockout while watching owners use those statements against the players’ argument of “irreparable harm” caused by the lockout, Cofield gets riled up.

“It really pisses me off,” said Cofield, who is usually quite careful with his words. “My career and some other guys, it’s the definition of irreparable harm. I’m not going to get last year back. That’s a year off my career, a year of pounding on my body. And this offseason I’m not going to get back. Doing the draft before free agency, that hurts a lot of guys. It definitely hurt me.”

To be clear, Cofield has no bitterness toward the Giants but rather toward his situation in general. Drafting a player at his position “is their right, but it should be my right to be a free agent.” So far the closest he has come was when the Giants worked out a trade with the Saints before the second round of last year’s draft — a deal contingent on Cofield quickly working out a contract extension with New Orleans. It didn’t happen, and Cofield remained a Giant.

“I get put on the clock to say, ‘Hey, decide what you want to do with the next four years of your life in the next 20 minutes.’ That’s not free agency, that’s not giving me a chance to do what’s best for me,” Cofield said. “That wasn’t a fair shake, so hopefully it could be a better scenario this year. ... It gets to a point where it’s not all about what you want, being with your friends and having a fairy tale ending. Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you.”

Asked if he believes he’s played his last down as a Giant — the Rams, Saints, Broncos, Redskins, Bears and Seahawks are his most likely alternate landing spots — Cofield would only say that will be the case if he’s asked to play again under a restricted free-agent tender (likely slightly less than $2 million). That might very well be the case, which is why Cofield wants to remind everyone the lockout is a “vacation” for only a select few.

“I’m doing the same thing (as every offseason) except I’m doing it with no peace of mind and no security,” he said. “There’s nothing pleasant about it. ... For some of the guys to say they’re enjoying the time off, it’s selfish and shortsighted.”

I like Cofield, great attitude and he does work hard.

I certainly don't begrudge him his chance to earn his money.

I would ideally like to see Cofield stay on, but it will come down to dollars. I suspect Cofield could take a little less to stay here, but not a huge drop off in pay.

Cofield is better than Canty and better than Bernard. Cut those two and keep Cofield. Not sure how realistic that is though.

56 Crazed Dogs wrote:Cofield is better than Canty and better than Bernard. Cut those two and keep Cofield. Not sure how realistic that is though.

Canty is a decent 4-3 NT for us, we could do a lot worse. The addition of Canty has allowed us to slide Cofield to UT.

Chris Canty's contract
2011: $5.25 million, 2012: $6 million, 2013: $6.25 million, 2014: $6.5 million, 2015: Free Agent

if we cut Canty, we take cap hits for 2012-2014, which is around $4.25m


Bernard is average starter but ok for a backup, although he isn't cheap.


Rocky Bernard's contract salaries are
2011: $2.95 million, 2012: $3.45 million, 2013: Free Agent

So if we cut Bernard this year, we take the hit of his 2012 salary, so in effect we save $1.7m (assuming there is a salary cap)



However, there is also Shawn Andrews

2011: $3 million (+ $3.5 million roster bonus due on 30th day of "league year"), 2012: $4.25 million, 2013: $5.25 million, 2014-2015: $5.5 million, 2016: Free Agent.

If we don't pick up his option and cut him, that is $6.5m we have available to reinvest in other players.

That is likely enough to resign Cofield if we wish, which would also allow us to cut Bernard. I am much more comfortable with Austin with Cofield there to mentor him.

I think it is a good move, the question is, how much is Cofield worth? Is he worth around the 6year, $42mil deal that Snee got?

Canty isn't terrible and I was happy when we signed him. However, he hasn't even come close to earning that big deal the Giants gave him. Same goes for Bernard.

I like Cofield but he may price himself outta of here. If the rules from last year hit then we have him for one more year. He walks in FA, we won't pay him. Canty is a wall to run on. He does a real good job with handling the double teams and freeing up other players. Benard should be released. He's useless, IMO. We can get someone much cheaper to fill his role and get the same results.

Under the assumption we have Cofield another year we go into the season with these DTs:

NT: Canty, Joseph
UT: Cofield, Austin

If there is a new CBA and Cofield leaves I'd like to see us make a move on Tommie Harris.

Pizan wrote:I like Cofield but he may price himself outta of here. If the rules from last year hit then we have him for one more year. He walks in FA, we won't pay him. Canty is a wall to run on. He does a real good job with handling the double teams and freeing up other players. Benard should be released. He's useless, IMO. We can get someone much cheaper to fill his role and get the same results.

Under the assumption we have Cofield another year we go into the season with these DTs:

NT: Canty, Joseph
UT: Cofield, Austin

If there is a new CBA and Cofield leaves I'd like to see us make a move on Tommie Harris.

I think you are on the money

Cofield if possible, if not go after someone like Harris