Osi Umenyiora knows when it comes to investing long-term, the Giants will go with Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul ahead of him on the defensive line. And, this happier, more content version of Osi completely agrees with that thinking.
“If I was them I’d do the same thing,’’ Umenyiora said yesterday after taking the field for an OTA practice for the first time this year. “I mean obviously you have Tuck, who’s the face of the franchise, and you have JPP, who’s a young phenom. Obviously I’m still a very good football player, but … you can’t pay us all that kind of money, there’s just no way you can do that. “all of us are All-Pro players. You can’t pay us all like All-Pros. They had decisions to make and I completely respect them. If I had to pay two defensive ends top defensive end money, it would be JPP and Tuck.’’
Consider this a new attitude for Umenyiora, who admitted the strain of his ongoing contract squabble with the Giants “kept me up at nights.’’ The 30-year-old defensive end decided enough was enough and last week finally agreed to a contract restructuring.
He will make $6.5 million this season, a $1.8 million bump-up from the $4.7 million he was scheduled to make in salary ($3.975 million) and easily attainable roster bonuses. Umenyiora was heartened by the very public show of support from teammates such as Tuck, Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka and Antrel Rolle and figured it was time to get to work.
“Seeing the way they had my back, the way they were talking, it made me realize it was more important to have teammates like that and be on a team like this than fighting and haggling over a couple of extra dollars,’’ Umenyiora said. “It really wasn’t worth it for me to go somewhere else.
“This is my 10th year here and I have had a great time here and I want it to continue and I feel like something special is being built over here. I’d just much rather be here than continue to fight and face all the negativity and criticism over really what amounted to be nothing.’’
Looking and sounding more at peace than he has in years, Umenyiora said he still considers himself a starter although he’s not one with the Giants.
“I think I have another two years before I get to the point where all I’m gonna do is rush the passer,’’ Umenyiora said. “This is good for me, I’m happy and, more importantly, it’s the team I’m on and the guys who I’m playing with, Justin and JPP and Kiwi, we’re all brothers and for all of us to be able to go out and play together is more important than anything.’’
Coach Tom Coughlin said it is “a very good thing’’ to get Umenyiora “back into a football frame of mind — and a positive one at that.’’ That frame of mind did not come without a price, as Umenyiora last week dismissed Tony Agnone, his agent the past five years. Agnone also represents Trent Cole, who this offseason signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Eagles, with $15 million in guaranteed money. Those are the numbers Umenyiora believes he’s worth, but he came to understand he isn’t getting it from the Giants.
“He felt like it was a substandard deal,’’ Umenyiora said of Agnone, adding he is “a great agent’’ and he will re-hire him for any future negotiations. “You can’t really look at what other defensive guys are making and you can’t argue with what he was saying. But I also knew that I wanted to come here and play and be around my teammates and the money will take care of itself.’’
Umenyiora was in such a cheerful mood he intimated this might not be his last season with the Giants.
“I don’t know what is going to happen next year,’’ he said. “I might have a great year and decide to stay.’’