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Transition Time for Oline?
from http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/02/ny_giants_general_manager_sees.html
NY Giants general manager sees possible 'transition time' for offensive line
By Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger
February 27, 2010, 1:28PM
oline022710.jpgChris Faytok/The Star-LedgerThe Giants' starting offensive line, which has been together as currently constructed since 2007, could be shuffled soon, according to general manager Jerry Reese.
INDIANAPOLIS – There’s always competition across the Giants’ roster. At least, that’s the way Jerry Reese sees it.
And right now, the team’s general manager is seeing some interesting competition on the offensive line that could result in a shuffling of the personnel.
“You like for guys to be together for a while. For the last two or three years, we’ve had that same group,” Reese said Saturday in a brief session with reporters after his press conference here at the NFL scouting combing. “You get spoiled when you have a group together for three or four years. It may be a transition time for us.”
The key to the transition appears to be last year’s second-round pick William Beatty.
As a rookie, Beatty was forced into plenty of duty because of a few injuries to right tackle Kareem McKenzie. He played very well at times but struggled down the stretch against the Panthers’ Julius Peppers and the Vikings’ Ray Edwards. Still, Reese saw enough from Beatty to warrant a legitimate shot at a starting position – including the spot at left tackle currently occupied by David Diehl.
“We think Beatty has a left-tackle skill set,” Reese said of Beatty, who made four starts last season. “He played quite a bit for us and did a pretty good job in there for a young player. There will be some competition at that left tackle spot for us. … He showed he has a toughness to play that spot. He has the athletic skill set to play that spot, so it’ll be interesting to see how that unfolds.”
If Beatty beats out Diehl for the left-tackle spot, that will allow Diehl to slide to either left guard (in place of Rich Seubert) or right tackle, where he started in 2004 and where some believe he’ll be most comfortable.
And Reese left the door open to a possible addition from the outside.
“Somebody might come out and a new guy might come in,” Reese said. “We’ll try to get the unit together as quickly as possible so they start working together.”
* * * *
We’ve run down a long list of players who have had offseason surgery and it continues to grow. Add DT Rocky Bernard and CB Bruce Johnson to the list.
Bernard had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder that was bothering him all of last season, Reese said.
As for Johnson, he had surgery on his wrist, according to Reese and his agent, Tony Fleming. Johnson was recently fitted for a smaller cast and should be ready for the start of offseason workouts, Fleming said.
* * * *
Staying in the defensive backfield, S Michael Johnson had better listen up to this quote from Reese when asked about young guys who appear to be improving: "You can’t depend on that. Kenny Phillips gets hurt in the second game and Aaron Ross really misses the entire season, so that’s two of your starters basically gone. Terrell Thomas jumps in there and does a tremendous job for us. But the other guy – Michael Johnson – he has to play better. For a young guy you think is ascending, he has to play better and we expect him to play better."
* * * *
Reese said the team has had conversations with QB David Carr, who is set to be a free agent next week.
“We’d like to have him back, for sure,” Reese said. “But we have other options if he doesn’t come back.”
Asked if the team will do anything to stop Carr from hitting the open market, Reese said, “We’ll see. It’s hard to tell right now.”
I’m standing by my hunch he’ll be back.
Not so much on LB Danny Clark, however.
“There has not been a lot of conversation with Danny Clark as of right now,” Reese said.
* * * *
There was a very strange moment during Reese’s press conference when he was asked if he believes the Cowboys “have opened the gap between them and the rest of the teams in the NFC East.”
Reese showed tremendous restraint in his answer. I, on the other hand, would have pointed out the fact both teams have an equal number of divisional titles over the past five years, an unequal number of Super Bowl rings and how the Giants swept the season series last season.
Reese’s answer was much less controversial than the route I would have taken.
“Every year is different,” Reese replied. “You look at your roster and you think it’s strong. I thought we had a really strong roster (last year) and we ended up 8-8. You never know until you get out there. You have to go out there and play the games. I don’t know if they’ve opened up that big of a gap, but we’ll see. It’s hard to say right now. It’s February. It’s a long time before we play. We’ll see if they’ve opened up a gap or not.”
Big_Pete- Giants Legend
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