Quiet Toomer hopes to catch new Giants' contract

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com
January 1, 2009

Amani Toomer has been playing the game for a long time, and he wants to continue playing it. This is his first time playing the game, though. The negotiating game. The dance where he tries to get what he wants. And the end zone of this route is a new contract, not a touchdown.

Maybe that's why Toomer halfheartedly doubted his strategy yesterday. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe I should have held out in minicamp."

That would have been very un-Toomer-like. For the past 13 seasons, he's earned a citizenship badge as one of the Giants' quiet, focused leaders. This season he was named a team captain. He's the only player on the team who was around the last time the Giants had the top seed in the playoffs, the same year they went to Super Bowl XXXV and lost to the Ravens. He's also the most productive receiver in the team's history. So making a scene is not something Toomer is about to do.

But as the calendar resets itself today, Toomer doesn't know if he'll be back with the Giants after this latest postseason run is finished. Toomer is an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season, and although he has said he would like to finish his career with the Giants, he also understands that there's a chance it won't happen.

"This is the business part of it," Toomer said. "I've never been a free agent, so it's going to be exciting. I'm going to look at it as exciting. It will be a different experience for me. That's all I can really say."

There was a lot of shrugging, awkward smiling and searching for just the right words as Toomer spoke yesterday. Talking about his future clearly made Toomer uncomfortable. After 13 seasons with the same franchise, staring out at open waters can have that effect.

Or perhaps Toomer was trying to stifle frustrations over how he's been used. He's caught 48 passes for 580 yards this year, his lowest numbers after a full season in his career. Second-year receiver Steve Smith led the team in receptions and third-year player Domenik Hixon led the team in receiving yardage. Even after Plaxico Burress was suspended, Toomer did not become a go-to guy. He's caught seven passes for 75 yards in the last three games.

"It ended up the way it did and I can't say I'm satisfied," he said of his numbers. "The only thing I control are my percentages [of catches], and I felt I was pretty good at that. It's a touchy topic. I don't feel that comfortable talking about it."

Sometimes, though, that's part of the game.

No word on Amani Toomer extension

BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

The Giants threw a lot of money at Plaxico Burress back in September, locking up a troublesome receiver who now may never play for them again. Yet they haven't shown a willingness yet to re-sign Amani Toomer, one of the greatest (and trouble-free) receivers they've ever had.

That subject, and the fact that Toomer will be an unrestricted free agent in March, isn't one the 34-year-old is comfortable discussing. But now that his next game could be his last in a Giants uniform, the team's unwillingness to offer him a contract extension has clearly been on his mind.

Toomer has been left to approach free agency coming off his least productive full season in 10 years.

So far, according to a source familiar with the situation, there have been no negotiations at all between the Giants and Toomer, who made $3.1 million in salary this season. The Giants also haven't indicated to him if he's in their future plans.

One thing is certain. Coming off a season in which he had only 48 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns, his bargaining position won't be strong. Although if that comes up in contract talks, Toomer said "I'd say 'Turn on the film.'"

TOOMER MAY BE FACING FINAL DAYS AS A GIANT

By PAUL SCHWARTZ

January 1, 2009

Amani Toomer sat on a stool in front of his locker, shirtless, and flexed his finely-toned upper body, thrusting both arms up into their air so that his muscles strained and bulged.

"Free agency!" he said excitedly, breaking into a slight smile.

He was goofing on himself more than expressing great excitement about that prospect, but what is sure to come for the leading receiver in Giants history is no laughing matter. Toomer is 34 years old and completing his 13th NFL season, all with the Giants, and is eager to head into the playoffs and shoot for a second consecutive Super Bowl. It's never been better to work at Giants Stadium, but this is likely the last roundup for a proud and classy player who might not be wanted back.

"It's kind of a touchy topic that I really don't feel comfortable talking that much about," Toomer said yesterday.

Ever since the grand upset victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, Toomer has seen many of his teammates receive lucrative contract extensions. There have been no talks at all with Toomer, which is telling, and he admits at times he has wondered, "What about me?"

"You always think that, but it's something you can't really focus on those type things just because of the fact we've still got a couple of games to play, hopefully, and we'll see what happens," Toomer said.

He makes $3.1 million this season and has never before played out his contract. He will this year and really has no idea if there's any interest from the Giants.

"It's the business part of it, I've never been a free agent," he said. "I'm going to look at it as an exciting time for me. It's going to be a different experience for me. That's all I really can say."

Toomer finished second on the team in catches (48) and receiving yards (580) and tied for second with suspended Plaxico Burress with four touchdowns.

It is unlikely Burress will play again for the Giants and what's left is a collection of young receivers: Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham. There's not a No. 1 receiver in the bunch. Toomer is not that any more and his production has dropped in each of the past few seasons. Nevertheless, he clearly is not done and remains in prime shape, though he is now more of a possession receiver.

"I felt it could have been a lot better, personally," Toomer said of this season. "It ended up the way it did, but I can't say I'm really satisfied with how I . . . I can't say I was really satisfied. I just think it's probably a little bit of everything. There's a couple of plays there I felt I could have held on to 'em a little bit more. Other than that I think this year I was a little bit more consistent than I was last year in terms of the amount of opportunities to the amount of plays I made. I felt pretty good about that."

When his decreased productivity is mentioned, Toomer quickly adds, "I say turn on the film, that's what I say."

Toomer said he wants to stay and finish out his career with the Giants, and for years has given the team not an ounce of trouble, as opposed to Burress, who constantly broke rules and irritated coach Tom Coughlin and before this season was rewarded with an extension.

"I don't know," Toomer said non-seriously, "maybe I should have held out in mini-camp."