NFL offseason: Ball of confusion
Giants running back Brandon Jacobs screams after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Redskins, Sunday. (Jan. 2, 2011) Credit: AP
In what might be one of the most colorful exits in team history, Brandon Jacobs walked out of the Giants' locker room with his belongings in a black garbage bag, stopping only to scowl at photographers who were clicking away.
"You're all getting pictures of Brandon Jacobs leaving, wondering if he'll ever return," the running back said before uttering an obscenity.
After losing his starting job and then regaining it, Jacobs heads into an offseason of uncertainty, but he has two years remaining on his contract. Imagine the others whose futures with the Giants - or in the NFL - remain nebulous while the team figures out who it wants to keep and the league tries to settle on a collective-bargaining agreement that will set the rules within which those players can be signed.
General manager Jerry Reese said he met with all of the pending restricted and unrestricted free agents on the current team Monday morning, but he added that the Giants will not be signing any of them until after a CBA is in place.
"We're not sure what the rules are right now," Reese said. "That's what we're waiting on."
Among the big free agents-to-be on the Giants are running back Ahmad Bradshaw, defensive tackle Barry Cofield (who will have shoulder surgery this offseason), tight end Kevin Boss, wide receiver Steve Smith and defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka.
"Kiwi has a significant neck issue and right now we're just trying to see if we can resolve it with rest," Reese said. "Hopefully, that will be the case and we can see . . . what kind of contract we can offer him. Will we offer him a one-year deal so we can re-establish his value? Or will we go in a different direction? We'll see how that goes."
Seubert not quitting
Offensive lineman Rich Seubert, whom Reese called the team's MVP this season, will have surgery Tuesday to repair the knee injury he suffered in Sunday's win over the Redskins. "The doctors think that knowing this young guy and what he has been through, that he'll make the recovery," Tom Coughlin said, a reference to Seubert's comeback from a mangled leg in 2003.
Seubert, too, said he'll be back in 2011. "I'm not going to let an injury end my career," he said.
Surgery for Osi
Osi Umenyiora will have surgery in the next week to repair a hip flexor injury that has been nagging him since last summer. Surgery was recommended for the defensive end when he visited specialist Marc Philippon in July, but Umenyiora decided to play through the injury and wait until the offseason. He is expected to have a full recovery in time for training camp. Although he was limited by hip and knee injuries in almost every practice this season, Umenyiora finished with 11 1/2 sacks and an NFL-record 10 forced fumbles.
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