Midday report: Aug. 1

Here’s your midday digest from Giants camp:

The Giants have given Osi Umenyiora permission to seek a trade and are seeking at least a first-round pick in the deal (although the asking price and the selling price could be different). Perry Fewell said he was looking forward to having the big four defensive ends at his disposal. Justin Tuck said he still thinks things will be worked out between the Giants and Umenyiora, and said that Osi’s sitting out of practices is a “strategy” and that he’ll physically be ready to play once things get settled.

Fewell said that he expects to see Kenny Phillips make a “quantum leap” this season and that he protected the safety in schemes last year, his first after knee surgery. Phillips said he is looking forward to being in more contact this year and not being “babied.” He said he tried to prove the doctors and everyone else wrong by deflating tha axiom that a play isn’t himself until the second year after surgery, but is finding that that timetable is about right. He says he feels more explosive in practices already.

Fewell also said that he’d like to see Jonathan Goff on the field for more snaps this year, and not just in the base unit or when the Giants have a running defense. Goff said he’s excited about that opportunity. He also disagrees with the perception that linebackers are the weak link on the defense, but admits that they have to make more plays than they did last year.

Sage Rosenfels said he expected the Giants to add another veteran quarterback to the competition to be Eli Manning’s backup and noted that he and David Carr actually played together in Houston for a year. Carr arrived here this morning.

Ahmad Bradshaw is still unsigned by the Giants, but Jason Snelling has arrived at the complex and was in meetings with team officials and coaches today. It could be a ploy or a strategy by the Giants to force Bradshaw’s hand, but even if the Giants do sign Snelling it could be as a fullback who can carry the ball and not as a tailback. Still, the Giants would clearly like this to put a little urgency under Bradshaw to accept their offer to him.

Kevin Gilbride said he likes what he’s seen from Will Beatty at left tackle so far in terms of quickness and agility, and he’s looking forward to the team actually starting to hit so he can see if Beatty has added any toughness.

Gilbride also said that he wasn’t disappointed that the Giants didn’t sign Plaxico Burress because he never really thought it would happen.

Hakeem Nicks said he wants to be more consistent this season and most of all play the entire year. He also said he got a lot of flak from his North Carolina peeps about training over the offseason with Eli Manning … at Duke!

We’ll have more on all of this throughout the day, so keep checking back. And practice is tonight at 6 p.m. and open to the public so come on down. There have been pretty sparse crowds the first two nights, maybe that will change now that the weekend is over.