Phillips is running straight, Cofield is not disgruntled and Perry Fewell is teaching his new system

Just a few notes from around today’s locker room before we wrap up that part of the day:

Kenny Phillips is back to running and wants to be ready for the start of training camp. If he can’t go by the time the season begins, Deon Grant will be ready for consecutive start number 145.

Barry Cofield is in no rush to sign his tender offer from the Giants, although he says he’s not disgruntled and is looking forward to the upcoming season. Heck, it might even work out better for him being a RFA this offseason if he can have a productive 2010. (No direct link yet, but check here for that story to be updated later today.)

Domenik Hixon said he would be signing his second-round tender offer this afternoon. Cofield, Gerris Wilkinson and Derek Hagan have not signed and haven’t decided when they will, but they will eventually.

The defense had a meeting this morning to go over the new scheme, and so far the feedback has been good. Gerris Wilkinson said right now they are mostly talking about terminology with new coordinator Perry Fewell. Grant said it is a similar defense to the one he ran in Carolina is first four years in the NFL. And Phillips said it is a very safety-friendly system. “It looks like it’s going to work out for the best,” Phillips said. “He’s an aggressive coach so we’re going to have a great time on defense this year. It’s going to give us a chance to roam and just make plays.”

Jerry Reese said he’s been told that all of the layers who underwent surgery this offseason are on track to be healthy for the start of the 2010 season. “We'll have everybody ready for training camp,” he said. “We might have some one-a-day guys at training camp as always, but as of right now, our doctors and trainers are telling us we're going to have a strong, healthy roster for training camp. That's exciting for me to hear that.”

Although they won't formally be announed until next week with the regular-season schedule, expect the Giants' preseason dates to be Monday Aug. 16 against the Jets, Saturday Aug. 21 against the Steelers, Saturday Aug. 28 at Baltimore, and Thursday Sept. 2 against the Patriots.