Giants might be open to extending Osi

INDIANAPOLIS -- Less than a year after Osi Umenyiora demanded a trade because the Giants refused to extend his contract, there appears to be some hope that the 30-year-old defensive end might get his financial wish after all.

Giants general manager Jerry Reese said for the first time Saturday that he is open to the idea of a contract extension for him. Umenyiora is entering the final year of his contract in 2012 and is scheduled to be paid $3.975 million. But Reese left open the possibility of adding years to the deal in hopes of keeping the talented pass- rusher in a Giants uniform for several more seasons.

Asked Saturday at the scouting combine if the team might consider signing Umenyiora to an extension, Reese said, "It could happen . . . We have a lot of issues to look at, and we just have to formulate a good game plan and see if we can get it done."

Umenyiora briefly held out of training camp last season and then asked to be traded, but the Giants would not accept anything but a first-round pick in return. Umenyiora and his agent, Tony Agnone, couldn't find another team willing to give up a first-rounder, so the Giants kept him. He missed seven games because of injuries but wound up with nine sacks in the regular season before helping the team to its second Super Bowl championship in five seasons.

Reese also said he thinks the team will retain running back Brandon Jacobs but didn't make any promises about wide receiver Mario Manningham, who becomes a free agent next month. "I don't know," Reese said when asked if the receiver will be back. "I don't think it's fair to frame what the odds are on that."