Giants get Rosenfels from Vikings as insurance for Eli

Tom Coughlin spoke at length about how much Rhett Bomar has improved this preseason. But the team's actions spoke much louder than his words. The Giants traded two future draft picks to the Vikings for quarterback Sage Rosenfels and running back Darius Reynaud Friday night. The players will need to pass physicals Saturday for the deal to be completed.

According to the Vikings' website, the Giants are sending the Vikings an undisclosed draft choice in 2011 and a conditional draft choice in 2012. According to league sources, that undisclosed pick is a fifth-rounder.

Although Bomar likely will be the primary backup quarterback for the first few weeks of the season while Rosenfels gets acquainted with the new system, the Giants felt more comfortable having a player with more regular-season experience on the roster in case Eli Manning is unable to play. They had Jim Sorgi, a free agent acquired in the offseason, but he landed on injured reserve with a torn anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder.

Rosenfels is entering his 10th season as a backup, although he was thought to be the quarterback of the future in both Houston and Minnesota.

The 32-year-old has started 12 games in his career. He has 30 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions. He is due $2.6 million this season and $3 million next season.

Rosenfels appeared to have outplayed Tarvaris Jackson to become the No. 2 quarterback behind Brett Favre in Minnesota, but earlier in the week, Vikings coach Brad Childress announced that Jackson will be the backup there. Rosenfels completed 31 of 51 passes for 402 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason.

The move was a bit of a surprise given Coughlin's glowing remarks about Bomar, who has seen extensive time this preseason but has never taken a regular-season snap.

"There isn't any question that Rhett has improved," Coughlin said earlier Friday. "He has more confidence, he has more poise, he's running the huddle better. He's had a couple of back-to-back weeks with two-minute experiences that he's handled very well, so there's progress."

Coughlin did say two things, though, to leave the door open about acquiring a veteran such as Rosenfels.

"I think you're always available to look at what options are out there," he said. And then, on Bomar, he added: "If we could eliminate the interceptions, then I'd be even more happy."

Reynaud was a wide receiver when he came into the league out of West Virginia in 2008 as an undrafted free agent, but he was converted to running back this offseason. The Giants could look for him to add explosion to their return game, which has been a problem all preseason.

Notes & quotes: Coughlin said LB Phillip Dillard is "day-to- day" with a hamstring strain . . . S Antrel Rolle was fined $7,500 for "unnecessary roughness" on his hit against Ravens WR Mark Clayton last weekend.