Let us know how you think the Giants should handle their first pick in the draft. Notice I didn’t say “1st round pick” in case they trade it for Boldin or anyone else. So take into account if you think they will make a draft trade when voting.

Well, after one season with Earth, Wind, and Fire fully intact, it’s gone. Wind has signed with Tampa Bay, getting a 4-year contract worth $17 million. He will make $6 million next season.

Ward had conversations with the Giants about resigning, but when he visited with Tampa, he signed right then and there and canceled all the rest of his trips.

Here is my first official criticism of the New York Giants front office this offseason: as of right now, the Giants lost their only viable option for a true #1 WR, unless they decide to make a huge draft package for Anquan Boldin (which I’m not 100% against, but Reese would have to structure it right). TJ Houshmandzadeh signed a 5 year, $40 million deal with Seattle, getting $15 million guaranteed.

I believe that with the obvious pressing need of a dominant number 1 WR, the Giants strengthened an area that is already a strength. In my opinion, the Giants would be fine with Robbins in the middle for another year, and didn’t need to go get Chris Canty. They could have used that money to make a play for TJ. A lot of people say he’s not a true #1. I totally disagree. Yes, he’s not as much of a deep threat. However, with the options available at this point, I feel he is the best choice for the Giants, especially if they can develop Mario Manningham as a deep threat like he was drafted to be.

Well, there’s no sense in crying over what has already happened. Where do the Giants go from here? Unfortunately, there’s not too many options left. In my opinion, the draft is not the place they should look for a deep threat, unless they want to move up and get Michael Crabtree. So here are what I think are the best remaining options:

1) Trade for Boldin. He is the best known available WR out there. It would take quite a hell of a draft package, but the Giants are capable of doing it, especially with the signings of 2 26-year olds in Canty and Michael Boley, which takes some of the pressure of getting younger off the front office. My guess is it would take AT LEAST their 1st round, 3rd round, and a 2nd rounder next year. The Giants do have 10 picks to work with this year, although it’s very back loaded.

2) Sign Laverneus Coles. There’s your deep threat everyone.

3) Sign Marvin Harrison. He’s old and washed up. Could it happen? Absolutely. Do I want it to happen? No. He clearly has lost a step, as evident from him not being able to catch up with Peyton Manning’s throws. Manning couldn’t have suddenly gotten overthrow-itis with just Harrison. He’s used to throwing to a fast Marvin. Only problem - Harrison isn’t as fast anymore.

4) Make a draft deal to move up and draft Michael Crabtree. I have him going in the top 3-5 picks, so it would have to be a freakin huge deal. I don’t see it happening.

5) Keep Plaxico. I don’t see it happening, and frankly, I have already made it clear that I don’t want it happening. But it’s becoming more and more the best option as other ones continue to run out.

6) Other - You guys have any other ideas?

Which do you see being the most likely to happen?

Former Cowboy Chris Canty has signed a 6-year, $42 million deal with the Giants. $17.25 million is guaranteed.

ESPN.com story - Chris Canty signs with the New York Giants

This is a massive deal, especially with the Giants also signing interior lineman Rocky Bernard to a $4 million deal a few days ago.

What do I think about this deal? Well I love it until I saw the price tag, then I almost spit out my water. It’s probably worth the money, but is it a need? I think we should be spending that money elsewhere. HOWEVER, if the Giants are indeed back in the T.J. Houshmandzadeh stakes, this could show him that they are willing to do what it takes to win, and that goes a long way in contract negotiations, especially for a player who’s played for the Bungles for a long time. But if this prevents us from making a big-time WR signing, I don’t like it.

Also, looks like Fred Robbins is the odd man out here. He’s getting older, and I guess the Giants believe he’s past where he can help the team. And we all know how important a dominant DE line is. It’s been HUGE to the team’s success the past few years. But…..it’s not as important as a dominant WR in my opinion. And I think that should be the Giants’ #1 priority right now.

RB Brandon Jacobs, who had been franchised earlier this offseason to buy extension negotiation time, finally got the deal they had been working on. Jacobs signed a 4-year, $25 million extension yesterday. He pretty much summed up how I felt about the situation:
“I was confident all along that this was going to get done I didn’t panic one bit,” Jacobs said in a statement released by the team. “I know the reason we did it the way we did; I knew I was going to be here. I was super-confident and I am here. I’m happy about it.”

I applaud the Giants and Jerry Reese immensely on this one. They handled the situation perfectly, got the deal done early in the offseason which allows Jacobs to focus entirely on his workouts, and they got Jacobs locked up for relatively cheap in my opinion. I was expecting a much higher deal. Maybe I’m getting too used to baseball contracts.

Here’s the ESPN.com story: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3934760

The Colts released Marvin Harrison, ending an era in Indianapolis. The question for us and for you here on NYGiantscast.com…would he fit on the Giants? After seeing his last 2 years, I would say no, stay away, especially with the whole pending issue with the shooting of a man near his car wash with his gun.

However…it IS Marvin Harrison. Would you, as Jerry Reese, give him a chance to redeem himself and show everyone he still has something left in the tank? The Giants are in desperate need of a #1 WR, and if they don’t get Boldin or TJ (I refuse to keep looking up the spelling of his name), or even if they do, would he be a fit on the Giants? Post here what you think.

My opinion: Don’t trust him with the #1 spot, but if we get someone for that spot, I’d gladly put him at #2 or 3 with Hixon. I think he’s still got something left…maybe.

This is purely a move to buy some time (no pun intended). Jacobs will make $6.6 million next year, unless another team beats the offer, which the Giants have the opportunity to beat as well, or allow him to sign with another team for 2 first round draft picks.

“With the deadline approaching it was the right business thing to do at this point, although we are hopeful to get a longer term deal hammered out in the near future,” GM Jerry Reese said. “I did speak to Brandon and we had a very good conversation today.”

This is a good move by the Giants and will hopefully allow them to have more time to work out a long term deal with Jacobs, which both sides want. I can’t wait to see Jacobs be a Giants for many years to come. He’s an incredible, essential player, and a class act guy.

ESPN.com story - Jacobs Franchised

The Giants will not resign K John Carney, once again giving the job to our favorite Scotsman, Lawrence Tynes. Carney officially missed 3 FG’s in the regular season, however the first 2 of those were blocks. His first miss came in a crucial moment in the last game of the season against Minnesota, which of course was meaningless. But then Carney missed 2 FG’s in the Giants’ playoff loss to the Eagles.

Also, thanks to Ralph Vacchiano for the update: The Hefty Lefty, the Pillsbury Throwboy, Jared Lorenzen, now listed at 285 pounds, has signed a small contract with Arena Football 2. He will make $200 per game and a $50 bonus for each win. Good luck Jared! I’m still a fan.

The Giants re-signed QB David Carr to a $2 million deal with incentives. Here’s a quote from him:

“Last year was such a positive experience for me I wanted to try to do it again,” said Carr, who got a one-year deal that could reach $2 million with incentives. “Just try and kind of get another one of those years under my belt just learning and continuing to better myself. Honestly, there are spots out there and starting positions, and there could have been some things where it would have just been my Houston situation all over again, and it wasn’t really something I was looking forward to.”

Good move by him and the Giants. Obviously he likes winning/not getting sacked, and the Giants are much better with a veteran, former #1 pick as the backup to…a #1 pick.

The Giants also terminated the contracts of CB Sam Madison, RB Reuben Droughns, and S Sammy Knight. I would have liked to keep Madison and/or Knight for veteran depth, but all 3 of those guys were very injury prone, and the Giants didn’t catch the lightning in a bottle with Knight as they did with the Danny Clark signing, so Knight was expendable. These terminations clear up $4.25 million of cap room, so that’s definitely a positive going into the offseason that’s going to be full of Jacobs, Ward, Boldin, Houshmandzadeh, Burress, etc.

Speaking of the offseason (that’s what’s called a beautiful segway, folks), we are still planning our offseason preview show. It’s going to be a great one if everything works out. We will definitely get ol’ reliable in Ken Palmer (thank you very much for your continued support Ken. Everyone should definitely look into getting a subscription of Giants Insider. I’ve seen it, it’s a great read, and it’s edited by a pure class act in Mr. Palmer). I am also in the process of getting a very, very bigtime guest. More on that if it works out. It’s looking good though, you’re all probably in for a treat.

The NFL Players Association has filed a grievance concerning the Giants’ penalties to Plaxico Burress for his incident.

In the ESPN.com story about the incident, can you find the mistake in this article? Just embarassing, ESPN.com…