Osi contract situation still unresolved
Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants answers questions from the press during a media availability session for Super Bowl XLVI. (Feb. 2, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
The Giants may have won a Super Bowl, but one of the biggest offseason issues of last year remains unresolved. Osi Umenyiora said last year in an affidavit that Jerry Reese had promised him a trade or a new contract. He got neither, and although he was able to put the issue aside and play at a high level for the Giants, there's no reason to believe he'll be content to do so again.
"We're in the early stages of the evaluation," Reese said in a conference call yesterday. "Osi's under contract. And we'll discuss everything as a staff and we'll discuss all issues that could possibly come up for us. And we'll come up with a game plan and we'll move on day by day and see how things work out for us."
Umenyiora is to earn just under $4 million in base salary in 2012, the last year of his contract.
Ballard faces long rehab
Jake Ballard thought he tore his meniscus in the Super Bowl, but when the doctor entered the room with the MRI results, he knew it was worse. Ballard learned he tore his ACL. He'll have surgery Feb. 21 -- the same day as fellow tight end Travis Beckum, who also tore his ACL in the Super Bowl -- and is looking at a seven- to eight-month recovery. Reese said both likely will start 2012 on PUP.
Ballard said he ran and cut on the sideline but collapsed, as 111 million television viewers saw. "That was probably the worst pain I've ever had in my life," he said from a signing at Steiner Sports in New Rochelle.
He added, "It's the biggest game in anyone's life and I get hurt in it and can't contribute when the game is on the line, it's like a nightmare."
Giant steps
Chase Blackburn said he has yet to see a replay of his interception but remembers reading Rob Gronkowski's eyes, turning and finding the ball . . . Reese said he expects to be working with roughly the same salary cap in 2012 as he did in 2011 . . . Reese said that the Giants are excited to have a full offseason with Prince Amukamara and Marvin Austin, the first and second round picks who were both injured and hardly played this season (or in Austin's case, didn't play at all). "That's going to be like a bonus for us because we're picking low," he said.
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