Giants sign ex-Eagle Pro Bowl lineman Andrews

ALBANY - Shawn Andrews, the former first-round pick and Pro Bowl guard for the Eagles, now a Giant?

"It kind of has a ring to it," the veteran lineman said Friday. As most of the team was packing up and breaking down at the end of training camp here, Andrews was just showing up. He and the Giants completed a six-year deal, with most of the substantial money coming after the first year, to add him to the roster at about 1:45 Friday morning. He was standing to the side in a fresh No. 74 jersey during the team's final walk-through.

Standing to the side is something that Andrews has been doing for some time now. He injured his back two games into the 2008 season, had two surgeries to remove partial discs - the most recent coming in December - and has not played a down in the NFL since. He was released by the Eagles in March, and the Giants kept tabs on his rehab in California before bringing him in for a workout and meetings this week.

"Our personnel staff has been monitoring Shawn's progress for a while now," general manager Jerry Reese said in a statement. "He looks great and had a very good workout for us [Thursday]. He can play both guard and both tackle positions. We just have to take him slow for the rest of the preseason to get him into game shape."

Andrews also dealt with depression during his tenure with the Eagles, missing two weeks of training camp while seeking treatment for the condition. The Giants are convinced that he no longer is grappling with those issues.

"[We're] sensing now that he really is motivated, has both feet on the ground, really wants to play and is just a pleasant young man to visit with," coach Tom Coughlin said. "He does indicate to you the kind of desire that he has to get back into the game."

Andrews, too, said he is focused on football now.

"My head is in the game," he said. "I had some setbacks there and it was untimely and I heard every excuse from myself why the things happened that happened back in 2008. We all go through things."

Andrews, 27, could have just retired from football, but he wanted to come back and prove to himself that he still can do it. And if it doesn't work with the Giants, he'll retire.

"I'm laying it all on the line," he said. "Not that I haven't before, but this is it. The Giants are going to get everything from me."

They may get everything, but where will they put it? The Giants have a cohesive offensive line that is dealing with several injuries. Guard Chris Snee has missed the last two weeks of training camp with a knee problem and guard Rich Seubert has been practicing with a broken bone in his left hand. Neither will play in Saturday night's preseason game against the Steelers. The Giants also have been experimenting with moving left tackle David Diehl to guard and putting second-year player Will Beatty at tackle.

Coughlin said the Andrews signing has "nothing at all" to do with the injuries to the projected starting guards. If the Giants truly have been monitoring Andrews' rehab for several months, that likely is the case. "He's just another quality football player who can help us," Coughlin said.

Andrews said he has no preference as to playing guard or tackle.

"I like the right-now aspect of the physicalness of playing guard, but at tackle, I like the aspect of showing my footwork a little bit, kind of showing off," he said. "Wherever they want me to be, I'll be."

Given his back situation, the Giants are sure to ease him back into action, and Andrews said he'll be curious to see how the surgically repaired area reacts to playing football. It feels strong now, he said, but "the only test for football really is getting on the field."

That will begin Monday when the Giants get back to preseason practices at their home in New Jersey.

"Hopefully, everything goes well,'' Andrews said, "and it's back to kicking butt."