With the CBA finally happening, here is my final plan before free agency (i promise!)

Here is what I would currently like to see happen. Just some small revisions, but enough that it makes a big difference. I really like how this roster would shape up and the style of football we could see on both sides of the ball.

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Resign
Dave Tollefson, Deon Grant

Release
Shawn Andrews, Madison Hedgecock

Free Agency Departures
Steve Smith, Matthias Kiwanuka, Barry Cofield, Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss, Kevin
Boothe, Chase Blackburn, Gerris Wilkerson, Michael Johnson

Notes

1. I wanted to resign Smith but think he will get more interest that the Giants can afford. Also Jernigan is an effective slot WR; Beckum and Barden will get bigger roles as well.
   
2. Grant probably has more value here than elsewhere, with the short offseason, better to keep guys that know our system
   
3. Bernard is reportedly healthy and well established in the scheme. I think Joseph may be ready to play UT, he actually has a similar skill set to Ndamukong Suh imho and Joseph was drafted to replace Cofield
   
4. With Kiwanuka gone, if we don't sign a free agent, Sintim and/or Tracy could be used as a pass rushing DE on passing downs if need be.
   

Contracts Reworked
(wth 2011 salaries)

Corey Webster (8.0m), Eli Manning (8.5m), Brandon Jacobs (4.65m), Chris Canty (5.25m), Michael Boley (3.5m), Shaun O'Hara (3.45m), Sage Rosenfels (3.0m)

give Osi Umenyiora a moderate pay rise

give McKenzie a one year extension, turning much of his 4.3m salary into bonuses

put the veteran $3mil exemption on Umneyiora's contract.
look at extending the contracts of guys like Thomas and Hawthorne.

remember it is expected there will be a very big increase in the cap in 2013 due to increased revenue.


Trades


CB Aaron Ross for LB David Hawthorne (Seahawks)

Hawthorne signed on a 1 year deal and the Seahawks have plenty of talent at LB with Curry, Hill and Tatupu (plus drafted KJ Wright). Hawthorne has started two seasons 2009 at MLB (11 games) and 2010 at WLB (16 games) when Tatupu and Hill got hurt, passing 100 tackles in both seasons (223 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 ints, 5 FF and 2 FR) .

Hawthorne would be cheap with his one year 900k deal and weekly 50k roster bonuses, but we could equally sign him to an extension.

Hawthorne is the playmaker we badly need at WLB and which Boley frankly wasn't last year. Hawthorne would slide in at WLB with Boley flipping to SLB. With a better supporting cast at LB, Boley's play could be much improved. Also Sintim could compete with Boley, particularly on early downs.

Amukamara's arrival makes Ross expendable and he would be very helpful in Seattle.


Free Agents Signed

Major Signings:

LB Stephen Tulloch (Titans)

Tulloch is the stud, athletic playmaking MLB that we badly need. His style of play is a good fit for Fewell's schemes.
Poslunzy is a good fall back option, but like others have said is more of a stop gap rather than a true star.



Moderate Signings:

RB Ronnie Brown (Dolphins)

A good value RB. Brown is a productive back and effective receiver out of the backfield, he complements Jacobs well. More importantly he looks after the football well.


Cheap Signings:


DE Vernon Gholston (Jets)

Gholston is a bust as a 4-3 OLB, but he could still be a very good 4-3 DE (where he is more familiar), he has all the tools, just has to bring it together; in the interim he can impact on special teams. The Giants have the right team structure for Gholston to succeed and have a good history with reclamation projects and guys with character concerns


UDFA Signings

• FB Henry Hynoski, Pittsburgh
  
• TE Schuylar Oordt, Northern Iowa
  
• CB Kendrick Burney, North Carolina
  
• S Deunta Williams, North Carolina
  
• C Tim Barnes, Missouri
  

53 Man Roster

Offense (25)

QB - Eli Manning, Sage Rosenfals
RB - Brandon Jacobs, Ronnie Brown, DJ Ware/Da'rel Scott
FB - Henry Hynoski
WR - Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Jerrell Jernigan, Domenik
Hixon, Victor Cruz/Devin Thomas/Duke Calhoun
TE - Travis Beckum, Bear Pascoe, Schuylar Oordt
OT - Kareem McKenzie, Will Beatty, James Brewer
OG - David Diehl, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Mitch Petrus
OC - Shaun O'Hara, Adam Koets, Tim Barnes


Defense (25)

DE - Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul, Vernon Gholston/Dave
Tollefson
NT - Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard
UT - Linval Joseph, Marvin Austin
SLB - Michael Boley, Clint Sintim/Adrian Tracy
MLB - Stephen Tulloch, Jon Goff, Greg Jones/Phillip Dillard
WLB - David Hawthorne, Jacquain Williams
CB - Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Prince Amukamara, Bruce Johnson, Kendrick Burney
SS - Kenny Phillips, Deon Grant, Tyler Sash
FS - Antrell Rolle, Deunta Williams


Special Teams (3)

K - Lawrence Tynes
P - Matt Dodge
LS - Zak DeOssie