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And now there is one.
With the signing of second-round defensive end Linval Joseph to a four-year deal, the Giants have only to bring first-rounder Jason Pierre-Paul into the fold before tomorrow's first workout. My guess is they'll get it done.
Meanwhile, a little bittersweet moment today when I saw the eminent Vinny DiTrani's tweet about heading up to his final training camp. Almost wish I could be there to shake his hand. Almost.
I remember when Vinny, Ralph, Tom Canavan, and I split a house the first couple of years up there. Lots of laughs. Fifteen years later, and now Vinny's beginning the wind-up of a great career that started when players considered leather helmets sissy stuff. Hope he enjoys the last camp, and hope it's as exciting as his first.
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I believe if Joseph and Pierre Paul come out of camp healthy that they'll both contribute heavily on the defense. I can see Joseph take away snaps from Cofield and already see the Osi hip situation giving way for Pierre Paul to get in there and steal snaps away from him. Ultimately I see Osi gone in the future, I mean why not Kiwi is younger and now we have Pierre-Paul. I'm not trying to write Osi off but you cant hold back talent off the field.
ReplyDeleteDominick - I hope you're right, but my gut says the JPP is way too raw and will take a year to get up to "rookie speed". Remember this guy only played one year at a minor college program. Nothing would make me happier than to be wrong about this one, but I'm guessing we will see as much of JPP as we saw of Barden.
ReplyDeletedweez: Are Rutgers, West Virginia and Cincy minor college programs? I think you underestimate the talent at South Florida, a Big East school that has competed in its conference the last few years.
ReplyDeleteTom - How many national championships between those three teams? How many O lineman did he face that were drafted in the first round? If you want to believe that one year at South Florida gets a player NFL ready, well, all I can say to that is I hope you're right. Believe me, as a Giants fan, I hope he turns out to be a HOFer. Nothing would make me happier than to see him driving Tony Romo into the ground time and time again. I just don't believe he's even close to being ready yet. Traps, pulling guards, screens, draw plays - I think he will get burned by all of them because, to be fair to the guy, he just hasn't played under those kind of conditions. NCAA to the NFL is the biggest leap there is and close to half of all draft choices can't make the adjustment.
ReplyDeleteBTW - JPP is under contract. $20 million over five years with $11 million guaranteed. Hope the kid is worth it, that's some serious coin.
One point regarding minor college programs does not beget another involving national championships. Justin Tuck won nothing at that fake contender Notre Dame, yet we all know Texas Southern and Troy are breeding grounds for championship-caliber NFL players. This is why we are not scouts.
ReplyDeleteTom - Tuck played for three years at Notre Dame, was drafted in third round (74th overall) and was mentored by one of the best DEs to ever play the game - Michael Strahan. Tuck finished his Notre Dame career with 24.5 sacks, a Notre Dame record. His career 43 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in a single season are also school records. He accomplished this despite facing nearly continuous double teams throughout his college career. The Giants felt Tuck was a steal in the third round (quite right!) and Jerry Reese has openly admitted that drafting JPP is a "big risk". I believe the most Tuck got paid from his rookie contract was just over $550 Gs in the season before the Giants signed him to an extension. Tuck only started one game in his rookie year, had only one sack, and primarily played special teams. Comparing Tuck to JPP is just ridiculous and disingenuous. Totally different situation and circumstances.
ReplyDeleteAnd Texas Southern and Troy are the colleges of????? I'll say it again, there is a reason why we are not scouts. I definitely have more trust in the Giants's scouts than you do. And oh yeah, I don't think JPP will make an impact on the team until his second/third year, like those players from Notre Dame, Texas Southern and Troy.
ReplyDeleteTom - So because Texas Southern produced Strahan (and no else of note that I am aware of) and Troy produced Osi and DeMarcus Ware that means that JPP will be successful? Can't argue with such sound reasoning. As for having "more trust in the Giants scouts" than I do, I'm not the GM, who happened to be a scout himself, that called drafting JPP "a big risk". That was Jerry Reese. Using your "logic", I guess that means "there is a reason why he isn't a scout". Except, of course, for the fact that he was.
ReplyDeleteBTW - Both Osi and Strahan were taken in the second round. Less of a gamble and long term expense than a first rounder. Both also had much more successful and longer college careers. You either have NO idea which rounds these guys were drafted in or your deliberately trying to compare apples and oranges. Not sure which. I will be thrilled if JPP becomes the next Strahan. Far less thrilled if he's the next Osi. However, you have not presented a single fact or argument that supports your blind faith that he will achieve such lofty goals. Some great players came from small schools. That IS a fact. A LOT of busts came from small schools, too. Almost all the greats were taken in lower rounds and had far longer college careers.
Everything is a crapshoot, dweez. We will know all the answers in time.
ReplyDelete