Avoiding injuries crucial for Giants' offense
Brandon Jacobs #27 of the New York Giants runs the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles at Giants Stadium. (Dec. 13, 2009) Credit: Getty Images
Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride chuckled ruefully a few weeks ago when the Giants loaded up on defense in the draft. That was after they brought in mostly defensive players in free agency. For the second straight year.
Gilbride may have been feeling shut out of the spending sprees, but he's got something the Giants' defense does not have: continuity.
While the defense is getting a makeover with a new coordinator, new playbook and new players, it's been business as usual on offense from system to personnel. The biggest change for the Giants' offense - at least they hope - is health.
"They know we had a lot of injuries on offense," said running back Brandon Jacobs, one of six offensive starters who had offseason surgery. "The coaches know what we can do when we're healthy.''
It helps that the issues on defense, which gave up the second-most points in team history, overshadowed any struggles on offense. But it's still odd that after a season in which the Giants went 8-8 and missed the playoffs, the only real improvements to the offensive huddle were made by surgeons.
It's only May, but the offense seems to be healing nicely. Jacobs (knee) and Ahmad Bradshaw (feet, ankle) were running reps with the full squad in Friday's OTA. So were linemen Shaun O'Hara (elbow) and Rich Seubert (shoulder) and fullback Madison Hedgecock (shoulder). Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (wrist/toe) is expected to be on the field before next month's minicamp.
There was talk that the Giants might draft a running back, and they could have brought in a veteran offensive lineman or two to push aside some of the ailing stalwarts. But the Giants seem to believe they have enough on their roster as it is now . . . and when it's healthy.
Jacobs agrees and saw no reason to add more players.
"It was a great thing that there weren't a lot of changes," he said. "Why bring another guy to the party when he's not going to drink anything?"
Notes & quotes: TE Kevin Boss will undergo an arthroscopic procedure Monday to clean debris from his ankle. He is expected to miss four to six weeks but be back for training camp. OL Kevin Boothe will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn pectoral muscle and will miss four months . . . S Kenny Phillips, who had microfracture knee surgery last September, is not participating in OTAs but expects to be ready by training camp in August.
