Tuck less talkative about Osi stalemate

There are not many topics that Justin Tuck will shy away from. Saturday, for the first time in a while, he found one.

"I've just been informed that I can no longer answer questions about player No. 72," he said in response to the first of many questions about Osi Umenyiora, a player whose situation he spoke freely about last week. When asked where this new rule came from, Tuck said: "From player No. 72."

He said he was joking, but the standoff between Umenyiora and the Giants is losing a lot of its laughability. The defensive end remained on his exercise bicycle and off on the sideline for Saturday night's practice, the sixth time he's done so since camp began last weekend. He has told the Giants he has a sore knee that has kept him off the field, but most believe his pedaling is more about making a statement.

Umenyiora has said he wants a new contract or a trade to a team that will give him one. He swore in an affidavit that general manager Jerry Reese promised that to him. He has received neither, and though he and the team have exchanged some ideas on settling the situation financially, they remain very far apart.

'Just Dave' returns

Many saw it as a bad sign for Dave Tollefson when they gave his No. 71 jersey away. He didn't think that way. "It's all tactics," he said with a chuckle. "I mean, come on, who's going to wear 71 and look as good as me?"

Tollefson signed with the Giants Saturday, giving them a solid special teams presence and depth at defensive end. He scoffed at those who believe his return was somehow a message to Umenyiora. "You could argue that maybe if they brought someone else in," he said. "But I'm just Dave, man. Osi knows me, the Giants know me. I am what I am."

A call for Barden

Tom Coughlin said he has not gotten any information on when receiver Ramses Barden (PUP) will be available and clearly he is growing frustrated. "Get out there, for crying out loud," Coughlin said at his news conference.