No doubt the Giants have two game plans heading into the April 25-26 NFL Draft. One if they trade for a veteran receiver and one if they don’t.
The receiver they’re most likely to land is Braylon Edwards, who is big and talented in the Plaxico Burress mold and also has some baggage, which probably doesn’t make him a good fit in Cleveland with new coach Eric Mangini. Edwards is on the block, and the Giants are interested.
JETS GET GIANTS STADIUM FINALE
How much? We’ll see. There’s no doubt GM Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin believe the release of Burress leaves the Giants without a legitimate No. 1 receiver. There’s also a belief that, even with the talent at receiver available in the draft and the possibility of a trade up from the 29th pick, it’s unlikely the Giants can select a rookie capable of making an immediate splash.
Edwards is only 26, an imposing target at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, and in 2007 was great with 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was far from great (55-873, three TDs) last season, making news more for drops than catches.
Edwards is entering the final year of his contract — he’ll make $4.55 million this coming season — and before trading for him the Giants would have to agree on a new long-term deal.
That won’t be easy. Edwards reportedly wants $10 million per year and — judging how the Giants last year handled Burress’ new contract — Reese will similarly want plenty of insurance written into the deal in case Edwards doesn’t pan out.
A report yesterday on Yahoo.com stated Edwards is “expected” to be traded to the Giants before the draft. There is no new news to indicate that is the case.
Reese would not comment, saying in an e-mail, “Why would I discuss our personnel issues with the media?” Someone familiar with the Giants thinking acknowledged that there were preliminary discussions with the Browns in February.
Reports surfaced that the Giants offered the second- and fifth-round picks they received from the Saints in the Jeremy Shockey trade; the Browns countered by asking for Steve Smith, along with the picks, and the Giants said no to Smith but were willing to include either Domenik Hixon or Mario Manningham in the deal, which the Browns rejected.
Reese denied that report, stating he never got down to offering any players.
*
The Giants will play five prime-time night games this season and make their first regular-season three-game road trip in 15 years. They open the season (at home Sept. 13 against the Redskins) and close their season (Jan. 3 at Minnesota) the same way they did last season. The bye comes late, on Nov. 15.
“We play nine games before the bye — I think that is better for us,” Coughlin said. “The bye gives the players, I think, an opportunity to play a long stretch against high-quality opponents and then have a little break.”
Eli Manning, who lives in Hoboken, reported for jury duty in Jersey City yesterday and was dismissed after speaking with a judge. Manning had been summoned to Hudson County Superior Court. –With Post wires