Giants to Jettison Brandon Jacobs?

9/20/2010 4:52 PM ET By David Elfin
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After losing for the third time in four games -- dating to Week 16 of 2009 -- by at least 24 points, the Giants are feeling awfully blue this morning. But Brandon Jacobs, who has the Giants seeing red, is the big story in the wake of the 38-14 shellacking they suffered in Indianapolis. The Bergen (N.J.) Record reports that the former No. 1 back will ask to be traded today.

Jacobs wasn't happy when he switched places with former backup Ahmad Bradshaw to start the season. And the 28-year-old Jacobs' mood has only darkened since he has been handed the ball just 16 times during the first two games compared to 37 for the 24-year-old Bradshaw. Bradshaw, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2009 to Jacobs' 3.7, is averaging 4.4 this year to Jacobs' 3.3.

When coach Tom Coughlin snapped at him after one poor run against the Colts, Jacobs tossed his helmet at the bench. However, his aim was badly off and the headgear wound up in the stands. Jacobs didn't play another down. Coughlin said that was because the Giants were so far behind, that he had been unaware of the helmet incident. However, after the drubbing, Coughlin didn't hide his displeasure with the one-time bruising Jacobs' style.

"Enough of that east-west stuff, you have to head north at some time," Coughlin said.

The chagrined Jacobs apologized to the fans for his errant throw but went off on a reporter when asked about being benched. It was his second such explosion this month. It certainly seems that a change of scenery, away from the hyper-competitive New York media market couldn't hurt.

"I have a lot on me right now, you know what I mean?" Jacobs said before berating the reporter. "It's not good. I just want to forget about all of this."

Jacobs would like to forget that it has been 21 games since he last rushed for 100 yards. That was so long ago that Barack Obama had been elected just five days earlier.

The Giants would like to forget that they signed Jacobs to a four-year, $25 million contract the following offseason. Most of the $13 million guaranteed has already been paid, but with nearly $12 million in base salary still remaining, New York is more likely to have to cut Jacobs than to find a team willing to assume the contract of a very unhappy back who has run for just 887 yards in 17 games since signing the big deal.

Report: Brandon Jacobs wants a trade
September, 20, 2010 Sep 2012:27PM
By Matt Mosley

The New York Giants' embattled running back Brandon Jacobs will request a trade Monday, according to the Bergen County Record's Vinny DiTrani. Citing an anonymous source, DiTrani reports that Jacobs will approach general manager Jerry Reese with his trade request.

And from what I know about Reese, he'll calmly tell Jacobs to return to the locker room and focus on helping his teammates. This is a player who used to give New York's offense an identity in the power running game. But over the past few weeks, Jacobs has stood out more for his whining and immature behavior. Whether intentional or not, it was still ridiculous for the running back to fling his helmet into the stands last night during the third quarter of a 38-14 loss to the Colts.

Jacobs embarrassed the organization and he didn't help matters by reportedly shouting at Newsday beat writer Tom Rock after he asked a perfectly logical question about Jacobs' playing time in the second half. I'm sure that coach Tom Coughlin and Reese will both have conversations with Jacobs today during which they'll try to convince him to place his teammates ahead of his ego.

This is a prideful guy who's been humiliated by his demotion. And even if the Giants wanted to trade him, is there a huge market for a 264-pound tailback who occasionally forgets that he's not Barry Sanders? I'm sure the Giants knew there would be fallout from demoting Jacobs, but they probably didn't think he'd act irrationally for weeks at a time.

Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck appeared to admonish Jacobs last night on the sideline and I think he'll continue to drive home his point Monday. With the retirement of Antonio Pierce, Tuck is now the most vocal leader on the team. But right now, the loudest voice in the locker room belongs to Jacobs.