The first player to agree to terms with the Giants in free agency may never play for them. A knee issue has put the contract of linebacker O’Brien Schofield on hold.
According to sources, a red flag arose Wednesday when the Giants gave O’Brien a physical, delaying or perhaps negating what was to be a two-year, $8 million contract. This is why the Giants never announce an agreement before there is an actual signing, because sometimes snags develop.
Schofield, 26, was a reserve with the Seahawks last season. He did not have any readily apparent physical issues. He played in 15 games in 2013. He played in only seven games for the Cardinals in 2012 before an ankle injury landed him on injured reserve. His only significant knee issue was a torn ACL in 2010 at the Senior Bowl.
The Giants now must decide whether they will re-think the financial terms of the agreement or rip up the deal because of their concerns about Schofield’s knee.