GOING DEEP: Eli Manning looks to pass druing the workout he held for his Giants offensive mates yesterday in New Jersey at Hoboken High School. (Keith Furman, thebokenonline.com)
Immediately after the disappointing 2010 season came to an end, Eli Manning knew there was a chance that labor unrest could lead to a delayed opening of the voluntary spring workout program that he always attends. Manning, a team captain, already was sorting through a plan in his head.
“If it is delayed,” Manning said back in January, “the team that handles their business, the team that is working out and the team that can get guys who are in this area to work out and be together and go over things and find a place to practice or find a place to run some routes every once in a while . . . has a great advantage next year to have success.”
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Manning put those thoughts into action, as yesterday he organized a workout for a dozen offensive players at Hoboken High School, in the same town where he lives.
The lockout has again locked the doors of the Timex Performance Center to all Giants players, prompting Manning to get his guys on the field to run, throw, run routes and catch passes. No doubt, this take-charge attitude is pleasing to coach Tom Coughlin, who is powerless to gather his team together and unable to check up with any of his players at the voluntary offseason workout program that should be going on but has been shelved because of the lockout.
Joining Manning was backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Among the receivers on hand were Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Samuel Giguere, Victor Cruz and Duke Calhoun. Running back D.J. Ware was there, as was tight end Kevin Boss.
Most players are working out on their own at various facilities in New Jersey. Nevertheless, it is important for the offensive players to get together to start the long process of getting down the timing in the passing game, a priority that is not lost on Manning.
Barden, coming off ankle surgery, tweeted that he was going to play catch with “my favorite quarterback” and added “hopefully he feels the same way about me.”