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Last year the Giants traded away their seventh round pick to Carolina to get linebacker Jon Beason.

Today, the Giants got back that lost pick which was upgraded to a fifth-round compensatory pick in this year’s draft.

The Giants’ comp pick is based on the losses of tight end Martellus Bennett (Bears), linebacker Chase Blackburn and receiver Domenik Hixon (Panthers), and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (Falcons) vs. their 2013 free agency gains that included kicker Josh Brown, safety Ryan Mundy and tight end Brandon Myers.

The Giants’ extra draft pick will be the 174th overall.

Quote (xnozx. @ Mar 24 2014 04:21pm)

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Giants coach Tom Coughlin perked up in his chair when asked about his new offense Tuesday at the NFL Meetings. He used words such as "excited" and "invigorating" to describe its installation, and the effect it will have on his players.

The one player Coughlin specified by name was the one who threw 27 interceptions last season. In Coughlin's estimation, quarterback Eli Manning could be among the biggest beneficiaries of the new playbook still being devised by the head coach and his new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

"We're moving," Coughlin said at the NFC Coaches Breakfast in Orlando. "We're better than halfway through the completion of where we want it to be.

"I'll say this and the word goes forth to our players. It's obvious. This is a whole new undertaking from an offensive standpoint because you will have some of the old and a tremendous amount of the new. I think it's stimulating. I think it's good for everybody.

"Hopefully it's going to provide a little fire for everybody. I know it will for Eli. I know he'll be excited about this."

Coughlin believes the most difficult part of the new offense will be the verbiage. He described the new offense as extremely "verbal."

But he doesn't believe that will be a problem for Manning. Coming from the first family of football and with a good head on his shoulders, the transition shouldn't be too rocky. That doesn't mean Coughlin expects it to be a breeze.

"In the beginning, there is a lot to learn. There is a lot of be able to comprehend. I don't care how you do it. It's apples and oranges. It's Chinese vs. another language," Coughlin said. "But you have to get to where you're communicating with each other. In order to do that, he's really going to have to focus. Now, with his intelligence, it's not going to be real difficult."

It will be even easier if the Giants are able to run the ball more effectively. They finished 29th in the NFL last season. Coughlin noted that is a big reason the Giants signed offensive linemen Geoff Schwartz (6-foot-6, 340 pounds) and John Jerry (6-foot-5, 335 pounds).

"Offensively we have to get back to Giants football. When I say that, I mean Schwartz and Jerry, big human beings in the NFC East. We weren't very big up front last year," Coughlin said. "It's further to run around those big guys. We're going to have balance."


To Coughlin, Giants football means bigger, strong and, plainly, just more effective. He really doesn't appear married to the idea of the new offense focusing more on running or passing. He insists it's going to be a wait-and-see approach.

"Everyone wants to know what the difference is going to be? Whatever we do is going to be designed around our personnel," he said. "I mean, we have the Encyclopedia Brittanica between the systems that you are familiar with and the system that you are soon going to be familiar with. You can put your finger on anything you want."

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Despite a strong stable of cornerbacks, the Giants pecking order at that position seems clear. It's the newly signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and then everybody else.

Rodgers-Cromartie, 27, signed a five-year, $35 million deal with the Giants as a free agent after a strong season in Denver. This followed a pair of wildly inconsistent seasons with the Eagles.

The Giants don't appear to have any reservations. They plan to use him as a shutdown, No. 1 cornerback even with the established Prince Amukamara and fellow free-agent signing Walter Thurmond on the roster.

When asked how exactly DRC would be employed within defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's defensive system, head coach Tom Coughlin didn't hesitate.

"Are you the best receiver of their team? [He's] following you then," Coughlin said Wednesday at the NFL Meetings.

Coughlin and the Giants targeted that type of player right from the start of free agency. They checked in on all the top cornerbacks, before landing Rodgers-Cromartie when the options were slimming. It's clear what drew them to talented cornerback.

"He's physical enough. When you watch him closely, he doesn't shy away," Coughlin said. "He's got great big long arms, he's tall, he's fast, he can match up."

We'll find out if he can shut down the league's elite wide receivers soon enough. Aside from two division games against Dez Bryant (Cowboys) and possibly DeSean Jackson (Eagles), the Giants will also face Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Andre Johnson (Texans), Julio Jones (Falcons) and Calvin Johnson (Lions) in 2014. They will provide a stiff test to a player some around the league aren't completely sold on because of reasons that have little to do with his physical skills.

Rodgers-Cromartie is known to drift at times. Broncos coach John Fox thought it was beneficial for him to spend time with an established and respected player like Champ Bailey last year. Still, DRC doesn't come without risk.

"It's a gamble," said former NFL personnel executive and current ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who spent time with Rodgers-Cromartie in Philadelphia. "But Antrel Rolle obviously played a big role in making those guys feel comfortable that he can keep DRC focused. With a $10 milllion [signing bonus], that is a big investment."

Coughlin, though, didn't hesitate to give his approval after having the chance to meet Rodgers-Cromartie during his visit. He saw a player well aware of his reputation as a drifter who was on his fourth team in five years, and wanted to prove it incorrect.


"He was looking for it. To be honest, he was looking for a place to stick his roots and become a guy who represents a team, stayed there and worked his way through things rather than be a guy who was one year here, one year there," Coughlin said. "He responded to that. He jumped on that. He wanted to be a guy who associated with a team, be recognized."

No doubt, the Giants will give him that opportunity, especially being matched against some of league's best receivers on a weekly basis.

Quote (xnozx. @ Mar 26 2014 02:28pm)

[FONT='Times New Roman']Cpughlin: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will cover opposing teams #1 receivers[/FONT]






http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2014/03/giants_reveal_plans_for_dominique_rodgers-cromartie.html




Hearing that we will be playing recivers, instead of sides is very encouraging..... never understood why all teams don't allow their best cornerback to shadow the opposing teams best receiver