Friday, March 5, 2010

Rolle Signs

Kenny Phillips will have a new partner in the middle of the defensive backfield next year. Antrel Rolle, brought in this morning, agreed to a five-year, $37 million deal with the Giants a few minutes ago.

With $15 million guaranteed, Rolle thus becomes the richest safety in history. And they can now drop their interest in New Orleans safety Darren Sharper and the two restricted safeties they showed interest in, the Colts' Antoine Bethea and the Rams' Oshiomogho Atogwe. By signing Rolle, they managed to get a young (27), multi-faceted (he plays safety and corner, and can return punts and kickoffs) weapon without giving up a single draft pick.

The Cardinals reportedly had made an offer of six years, $38 million, which Rolle rejected in favor of the Giants' deal.

EP

8 comments:

  1. I have to say, that's a lot of money, but he's a young safety with a lot of talent. This is definitely a good start to the offseason. Now if they can somehow draft McClain and get a DT, this defense could be set for next year.

    I much rather have Rolle, who's only 27 compared to Dansby who's three years older. Good move JR.

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  2. I second that Dan. All of it.

    Chris B.

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  3. On a side note, I would hate to be a Cardinals fan. Can you say rebuilding? Wow, what a loss of talent especially with Warner retiring.

    Chris B.

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  4. Ernie - I have to strongly disagree with the premise behind your comment about "not giving up draft picks". Unfortunately, a huge stigma has been attached to doing that. I have NO problem with the Giants giving up a draft pick for a proven player. Draft picks are notoriously iffy. I have never seen any hard stats, but just years of watching the NFL and I have to think that at least 30% of the guys drafted in the first three rounds (supposedly "sure things") are busts. WR has to be the worst position for a successful draft (just look at the Giants history!). If you can get an excellent, young, PROVEN player for a draft-pick that may very well turn out to be a bust, than why not do it? I don't mind the Giants giving up a pick at all if they get quality in return. What Giant fan wouldn't trade this year's number one pick for a young, All Pro LB? The only time draft picks are a problem is when you give away too many of them for garbage (See Williams, Roy). Baltimore just got Boldin for a third and fourth and Brandon Marshall can be had for a number one. Can you imagine if the Colts use their first round pick (#31 overall) for Marshall? Peyton would obliterate all the passing records beyong all imagination. Reece shouldn't be afraid to use picks to get value. They are tools to be used to improve your team. Smart trades do that. I'm pretty confident that Baltimore made the right move for their team by giving up picks for Boldin. Does anyone really believe that Baltimore would be able to find a comparable WR in the third or fourth round that could start right away?

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  5. Dan--
    Only $15 million is guaranteed.

    This is a very solid off season move by JR.

    We just got better with the stroke of a pen and it didn't cost us a draft pick.

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  6. This is in response to DWEEZ15.While YOUR ARGUMENT is a good one, the variable here is the cost of renogiating that often comes with the trading of draft picks for a player. Now days, the trades aree made because the player is disgruntled. So not only do you have to give up picks, you have to go through the negotiation and could wind up paying the same amount of money as a free agent.

    -big blue 010

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  7. I love the Rolle signing. Great news!! It's about time this team realized that safeties are the playmakers in today's pass happy league and using low draft picks and cast off free agents isn't the way to go. The bad news is it's pretty clear that Phillips is iffy at best for the Giants to break the bank on Rolle. No way the Giants make Rolle the highest paid safety ever if they had the slightest confidence Phillips would be back.

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  8. bigblue - agreed, but have you seen what they pay the first round draft picks? Those guys usually end up being amongst the highest paid players on the team when they haven't played a single down. Getting a top ten draft pick has become a punishment due to their contracts (one of the many reasons the owners did away with CBA. Look for a rookie cap or a lockout.) I would much rather see the Giants pay for a known player than break the bank for a kid that may become useless once the first check clears (JaMarcus!). Face it, there's no "easy" way to get a top quality player, so if top dollar has to be paid, I prefer that it paid for the known entity. I'm not saying the Giants should never draft a player again, I'm just saying it's not the end of the world trading a pick or two for a quality player. Even if the contract has to be redone.

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