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Jon Beason wasn't just rehabbing this summer. He was researching.

He wanted to find out the Giants' single-season record for tackles and who held it. It seemed like a simple task. With 89 years of franchise history he was certain he'd come across a mythic number attached to a mythic name. Sam Huff. Lawrence Taylor. Harry Carson. One of the all-time greats.

What he found, though, is that the queasy nature of the stat meant the Giants' official records don't go back very far. Only to the 2000 season. And the king of the list isn't exactly Giants royalty. As far as the team is concerned, the unofficial record is held by Micheal Barrow who had 148 in 2003, but it's not even listed in their media guide or on their website.

Not exactly Roger Maris' 61 in '61.

"I was told it doesn't exist," Beason said of the benchmark, which the Giants virtually ignore.

He seemed disappointed. But no matter. He plans on topping the list soon enough, even if he has to create his own to do it.

"If that's what it is, then that's the mark," Beason told Newsday with a shrug this week. "One hundred and fifty, I think, is obtainable. I don't think it's anything that is far-fetched to be honest."

Not if he plays like he did with the Panthers early in his career and in part of last season with the Giants. When the Panthers credited him with 160 tackles as a rookie in 2007 (ironically breaking the team record that was held by Barrow as well), he didn't even know he was setting a new mark. The next year he had 159, then in 2009 had 169 followed by 162 in his final fully healthy season in Carolina.

"It became a kind of competition," Beason said. "You always want to do better. So you break it the next year, break it the next year, and you keep setting the standard."

Last year he had 93 tackles with the Giants, but that was playing linebacker in just 11 games after he was acquired in a trade. Prorated to a full season, it's about 135 tackles over 16 games. Beason tacks on a few extra because he was only playing in the base defense early in his Giants tenure.

"It would have put me at about 135 or 140," he said. "Then I was coming off the [knee] injury, I know I wasn't in great shape, and having to learn a new scheme. There were some games I felt like I could have played better in. I want to have more of those big tackle games like I did [with 17] against Washington where you're kind of just blinking. Before I got hurt I would have four or five of those a year where you have 13-, 14-plus tackles."

Which would, of course, put 148 within his sights.

"You look at stats for a guy who is a pretty good linebacker, he'll make 100 tackles," Beason reasoned. "You make 100, you're averaging seven or eight tackles a game. If you play every down, that's a good number. Then based on how you go about your business, the extra effort, the want-to, that's when you get to nine and 10 a game. If you hit that number, now you're the best in the league. It's amazing that the margin is just one or two plays."

There are obviously peaks and valleys, though. Beason said he thinks he can reach the not-quite record even if he misses a game or two. He's still on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with a foot injury, remember, and hasn't even practiced this training camp. Earlier this week, he ramped up his rehab on the side.

"As far as I know, he's done well," Tom Coughlin said of Beason's response to the added grind. "He's done everything they've asked him to do. The movement on the field and what he's done on the field has been good."

Beason appears close to hitting his targeted date and returning for the Sept. 8 opener against Detroit. Even if he doesn't, he'll still have the tackle goal.

"You don't have to play every game," he said. "When I did the 160, I had games with four or five tackles, but then you have a game where you get 16 or 17. The objective is to do your job."

The objective becomes subjective very quickly, though. Beason's astronomical tackle numbers from Carolina are a bit of a canard. The record-setting stats in the 160s are referenced in the team's media guide and on its website, but they are based off coaches grades and film evaluation. Official NFL stats, which are recorded during the game from the press box without the benefit of a rewind button, credit him with far fewer tackles. Never more than 141 in 2009, in fact. Over the four-year period of Beason's prime in Carolina, the difference between his official tackle numbers and his team-recognized tackle numbers is a staggering 110.

Which is right? Which is more accurate? It's hard to say. But when a player is not credited with a sack or a half-sack during the game, the team can petition the league to have the statistic changed. The same with offensive stats that are routinely corrected. Tackles, though, are written in stone and not reviewed.

"I don't know why they don't do it with tackles," Beason said. "You go back and you had 160-plus for four years but then you end up with 140, 130, 120. One year they were 40 off. It really upsets you. But that's what the stats are."

To whatever extent the Giants do recognize tackles as a statistic, they go by the NFL's numbers and not their in-house tallies. Which will make it more difficult for Beason to break the team's quasi-record. He thinks he can, which is why he went digging for the information in the first place.

"Anytime you do anything," he said, "you want to know who was the best at it."

Beason expects to be the best for the Giants. Even if it doesn't actually count.

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“I wanted to come in and compete,” Richburg said. “If you go to a team and don’t want to compete for a starting role, I think you’re cheating yourself. I want to be here, I want to be a player. I don’t want to be a guy that’s not playing. I want to contribute, be reliable, and be a guy that people can count on.”

Now he’ll get a chance to be that guy.

The Giants suddenly have a vacancy on their first-team offensive line after left guard Geoff Schwartz suffered a dislocated toe Friday night in a 35-24 preseason victory over the Jets. Schwartz is out for an indefinite time period and until he returns, Richburg, the Giants’ second-round draft choice this year, is likely to play the position.


A 6-3, 298-punder, Richburg has impressed his teammates and coaches since his arrival in May and throughout training camp. A four-year starter at Colorado State – where he was primarily a center - Richburg has taken most of his reps at guard with the Giants. Against the Jets, he played on both sides of center J.D. Walton.

“As an offensive lineman, you have to be ready for something like that.” Richburg said. “The starters are playing a lot. We’re in there more. We don’t rotate as much as some other positions do, so you have to be ready for any kind of injury or anything like that that happens. I was ready for whatever came at me.”

Richburg has traveled on an accelerated learning curve in the last month. He admits it’s a big leap to go from the Mountain West Conference to the NFL. That’s particularly true here, because in practice he often blocks Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson, veterans who have played a combined 19 NFL seasons.

“These guys have been playing in the NFL since I was like 12 years old,” Richburg said. “I mean, facing these guys is like, ‘This guy’s been doing this as a job since I was a child.’ That’s a huge difference. They’re extremely smart. They’ve been doing it forever. Obviously, they’re stronger and faster. It’s definitely an adjustment.”

It’s one Richburg seems to be making successfully.

“He’s got good feet, good leverage,” Jenkins said. “He plays low and has strong hands. One of the biggest things I’ve seen in him is that he has an offensive lineman attitude. You watch him in the game, you watch how he finishes blocks, runs down field, tries to help push piles. That’s something that you can’t teach; that’s something that you either have or you don’t.”


Patterson said he tested Richburg in practice.

“In the back of your mind, you think you might have an advantage because he’s a rookie,” Patterson said. “I’m going to be moving my hands around a lot, trying to get some push on him, make sure he can stay low and stuff like that. He has good feet, good hands. He’s not going to go complain about what’s being done. He wants to work hard. He wants to make sure his technique’s right. He came out with really good technique already, so I like that. I just think once he gets the feel of the offense, he’ll be a good player.”

Offensive players like running back Rashad Jennings are counting on it.

“He’s a good, physical lineman,” Jennings said. “He’s a guy that always wants to finish his blocks. There’s no question that he can get the job done.”

Richburg has received his share of first-team reps and is the favorite to take over for Schwartz. But he could still be challenged by John Jerry, who started every game the previous two seasons for the Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Reynolds, who played extensively in the Giants’ final two games last season.

“We have to rally together and get on the same page,” Walton said.

“It is the ‘next man up’ mentality,” Jerry said. “I feel really bad for Schwartz. It is very unfortunate. It is sad. At the end of the day, if the next guy is up, then the next guy has to go.”

Can Jerry push Richburg for the starting job?

“I am not worried about that,” Jerry said. “At the end of the day, we are going to come out here and push each to get better in practice. That is the most important thing.”

Richburg said he expects to continue getting reps at multiple positions. He has quickly learned one of the most important skills necessary for a young offensive lineman.

“What I’m doing best right now is having a short memory,” Richburg said. “If I make a mistake, I’m able to clap it off and then just go to the next play and not let it affect me. I think that’s something that sometimes can hurt players. You know, they get hung up on making a mistake and it hurts them, it carries on play by play. I think I’m doing a good job of forgetting about it and just playing fast and continuing.”

If he keeps it up, Richburg could well find himself in the starting lineup on opening night in Detroit.

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EAST RUTHERFORD -- Giants coach Tom Coughlin doesn't throw superlatives around very often. He described offensive lineman Weston Richburg's play on Friday night as "alright" and "OK." He said Ryan Nassib simply made "some nice plays" after performing brilliantly while tossing three touchdown passes in the second half.

Wide receiver Corey Washington received the ultimate Coughlin compliment the day after catching a touchdown pass for the fourth consecutive game.

"Anytime anybody plays in a superb fashion, it gets your attention," Coughlin said. "He has certainly been a big part of any type of fourth quarter success that we have had. You acknowledge the fact that the young man has made progress."

Superb fashion? That's not just alright, OK or made some nice plays. Washington, who admittedly has a chip on his shoulder and a target on the Cardinals after being waived in the spring, has played in "superb fashion" in the Giants coach’s book.

"That's a pretty nice term," Washington conceded on Sunday, before chuckling when asked if he's heard that before from Coughlin.

"No, sir," the Newberry product added with emphasis.

"Superb fashion" has to count for something come cut day when the Giants are forced to make a decision on their final 53-man roster. Players who play in "superb fashion" for much of the preseason don't normally get cut.

Washington is tied for the team lead with nine receptions this preseason. He leads the team with 152 yards and four touchdowns. He may be raw, but he has rare size (6-4, 214) and a skill that has stood out on a daily basis at Giants training camp and practices.

"Of course, he has one are area that he has done very well, and this is he will go up and get the ball," Coughlin said. "That is very noticeable."

All four of Washington's touchdowns have been on balls over the top of defenders' heads. It's this skill that has caught the attention of the Giants coaches and front office, and could help him stick with the team.

It doesn't hurt his chances that Marcus Harris injured his shoulder in Friday night's victory over the Jets and is likely to be "a long while." The Giants are now short on receivers with first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring) and Harris sidelined. That will factor into their decision of how many and which receivers to keep.

"It's a matter of the injury, the severity of the injury, how much time is going to be involved and where you stand in terms of how strong you think you will be at that position," Coughlin said about making a decision on Harris. "So it's lots of things that have to go into that with one more preseason game to play."

The curious part with Washington is when he played on Friday night. He didn't see a single snap in the first half against the Jets. Harris was working some with the first team.

All of Washington's playing time came with the third team and in the fourth quarter.

"That is the way the rotation was played out," Coughlin said.

Still, there is one more opportunity for Washington to see the field with starting quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants expect to play their starters a series or two against the New England Patriots on Thursday night.

"I would love to get some first-string reps. Who wouldn't?" Washington said. "I just have to keep working hard and only can control what I can do -- that is attitude and effort. That is it. Let those guys know that I'm ready, see if I can play against the first [teamers]. Once I get out there, prove to them that I can hang with the big boys."

After all, Washington has some doubters to prove wrong. That Week 2 matchup with the Cardinals is in his sights.

"I'm ready for that game. Yeah, there is a big chip on my shoulder," Washington said. "I am ready for that game. I have that game dotted. I have it on the calendar, cell phone, iPad, everything."