Left Tackle David Diehl - Photo by William Hauser

Giants Restructure LT David Diehl’s Contract:  According to ESPN.com, the Giants have signed LT David Diehl to a new 6-year, $31 million contract.  ESPN.com reports that the deal includes annual escalator clauses that increase Diehl’s salaries between $750,000 and $1.1 million per season as long as he plays offensive tackle.

Diehl had just completed the second year of a 6-year, $15.5 million extension that he signed in 2005.  But with the shift to left tackle from left guard in last season, the Giants felt like Diehl deserved a raise.

ESPN.com is also reporting that the new contract was actually completed before the recently-completed NFL Draft.

"(The new contract is) a recognition by the Giants of David’s commitment to the team, his attitude and his personality," said Diehl’s agent.  "He’s the ultimate team player."

More on Strahan:  While WR Amani Toomer believes DE Michael Strahan will return to play again this upcoming season (see "News and Notes" from May 4th), LB Antonio Pierce does not.

"There’s a hunger and a desire a lot of athletes have and that’s to be a champion and to be a great player," said Pierce yesterday.  "Well, the guy’s a great player, he’s made tons of money and he’s now a champion…Money talks…But you know what, inside of me tells me Strahan played his last game with the New York Giants as a champion and I don’t think that’s a bad way to go out."

During a guest appearance on Fox News Channel’s "Fox & Friends" yesterday morning, Strahan said, "Right now I know where I’m leaning, but I don’t want to say it until I’m sure, because once you either say you’re going to play or you’re not going to play, you can’t go back, at least in my opinion.  So I want to make sure I’m completely sure."

Giants Officially Announce Four More Rookie Free Agent Signings:  Though we had reported these signings last week, the Giants officially announced yesterday that they have signed the following four undrafted rookie free agents:

• WR D.J. Hall, Alabama
• DE Wallace Gilberry, Alabama
• DE Antonio Reynolds, Tennessee
• S Nehemiah Warrick, Michigan State

Because of all of these roster moves, we have updated the Roster, Depth Chart, and Transactions sections of the website.  Scouting reports on these four players are available the 2008 NFL Draft Review and Rookie Free Agent Signings section of the website.

Last Thursday, the Giants had announced that they had signed six undrafted players (see "News and Notes" from May 2nd).  Thus, in total, the Giants have officially announced the signing of 10 undrafted rookies.  General Manager Jerry Reese had said the team had signed 12 rookie free agents so expect at least one more official announcement.

The Giants hold their rookie mini-camp on May 9-10.  Many unsigned and undrafted rookie players will participate on a tryout basis at that camp.

LB Antonio Pierce on WFAN:  The audio of yesterday’s interview of LB Antonio Pierce on WFAN is available at WFAN.com.

Strahan Says He is Still Undecided:  Publicly, DE Michael Strahan says he still has not decided whether he will retire or play another season in 2008.  "I have no idea - that’s the announcement," Strahan said Friday.  "There are days I wake up and I want to play football, and there are days where I wake up and I don’t want to play.  Right now there are probably more days where I don’t want to play than I do."

WR Amani Toomer, who has played with Strahan longer than any other Giant, thinks Strahan will return. "Oh, no question," said  Toomer.  "I think he’ll be a member.  I think he loves that fact that he’s Michael Strahan.  He loves that fact that he’s playing and doing the stuff that he loves to do.  He loves hanging around with the guys.  I think it is going to be a hard transition.  But I think it is one of those thing that when you know you’re done it becomes a pretty easy decision and for him to be toiling over it I think that that says something right there."

Why do we get the feeling that Strahan will remain undecided until most of training camp is over?

Head Coach Tom Coughlin Interview on Sirius Radio:  The audio of Friday’s interview with Head Coach Tom Coughlin on Sirius Radio is available at Giants.com.

Notes and Quotes:  One unidentified NFL executive told The Daily News that his team had Giants’ first-round draft pick safety Kenny Phillips graded as a top-15 pick in the NFL Draft, even ahead of the Jets’ first-rounder DE/LB Vernon Gholston.  The Daily News is also reporting that if Phillips was not available, the Giants would have selected Clemson DE Phillip Merling, who was drafted by the Dolphins with the very next pick.

WR Amani Toomer on how his body feels:  "Actually, it feels a lot better than it did last year at this time.  Last year at this time I was about 2-3 months out of surgery and just starting to run and it was a struggle to get the pain out, to have my knee stop swelling up.  But now I feel good.  Now I can finally have an offseason to exercise and get back into shape like I want to and go through the minicamps, go through training camp just to try and get a little bit more of the timing back.  I think my game picked up toward the end of last season and hopefully I’ll pick up where I left off last season in the playoffs and in the last couple of games."

Giants Visit the White House and Wounded Veterans:  The Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants were honored at the White House yesterday afternoon for their achievements during the 2007 NFL season.  The Giants also visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center to meet with soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For quality reviews of the White House event, see Giants Honored at the White House by Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger (Giants’ blog) and Giants Visit White House by Michael Eisen of Giants.com.

Click here or visit Giants.com to see videos of the White House event.  The transcripts of the remarks made by President Bush and Head Coach Tom Coughlin are available at Giants.com.

Some of the players not in attendance yesterday were TE Jeremy Shockey, DE Michael Strahan, DE Osi Umenyiora, LB Antonio Pierce, CB Aaron Ross, and WR Steve Smith.

Giants to Make Cuts Today or Tomorrow?:  The Star-Ledger is reporting that the Giants will trim their roster by several players today or tomorrow.  One of the players who will be cut supposedly is quarterback Jared Lorenzen or quarterback Anthony Wright.

Possible Correction on One Rookie Free Agent:  One football site had reported that the Giants had signed DT Eric Butler (Washburn).  However, this report may be in error and the Giants may have signed TE Eric Butler (Mississippi State) instead.  We will have to await official confirmation. 

Article on WR Mario Manningham:  Mario Lands in New York After Giant Slide, And That’s Fine by Him by Thomas George of NFL.com

Giants Sign Undrafted Rookie Free Agents:  General Manager Jerry Reese said on WFAN yesterday that the Giants have signed 12 undrafted rookie free agents, but he did not announce who those players are.  Various media reports say the Giants have signed the following undrafted rookie free agents.  However, it is important to note that (1) none of these signings have been officially announced, and (2) many players are often invited to attend the rookie mini-camp but are then NOT offered contracts.  The Giants rookie mini-camp will be held May 9-10.

• WR D.J. Hall, Alabama
• OG Glenn Bujnoch, Cincinnati
• OG/OC Andrew Bain, Miami
• OT Dylan Thiry, Northwestern
• OT Carnell Stewart, LSU
• DE Wallace Gilberry, Alabama
• DE Antonio Reynolds, Tennessee
• DT Nate Robinson, Akron
• SS Nehemiah Warrick, Michigan State

Scouting reports on each of these players is available in the 2008 NFL Draft Review and Rookie Free Agent Signings section of the website.

General Manager Jerry Reese on WFAN:  The audio of yesterday’s interview of General Manager Jerry Reese on WFAN is available at WFAN.com. 

Article on WR Mario Manningham:  Former Coach Lloyd Carr Says Mario Manningham is Giant Bargain by Ralph Vacchiano of The Daily News

Article on LB Bryan Kehl:  SuperBowl Champs Draft Kehl by Jeff Reynolds of BYU Athletic Communications

Article on QB Andre’ Woodson:  Something to Prove by Thomas George of NFL.com

Editorial on TE Jeremy Shockey:  No Giant Shock-er by Paul Schwartz  of The New York Post

Giants Draft Two Defensive Backs on Day One:  Without moving up or down in the draft, the Giants selected safety Kenny Phillips (Miami) and cornerback Terrell Thomas (USC) in the first and second rounds respectively of the 2008 NFL Draft.

For a scouting report on both players as well as media Q&A transcripts with General Manager Jerry Reese, Director of College Scouting Marc Ross, Head Coach Tom Coughlin, and Phillips, see the 2008 NFL Draft Review section of the website.

Here are the videos of today’s media Q&A sessions from Giants.com:

• General Manager Jerry Reese
• Head Coach Tom Coughlin
• Director of College Scouting Marc Ross

Video highlights of both players are available at Giants.com:

• Safety Kenny Phillips
• Cornerback Terrell Thomas

TE Jeremy Shockey Remains a New York Giant:  Despite media reports and internet rumors to the contrary, TE Jeremy Shockey was not traded to another team today.  Interestingly, General Manager Jerry Reese and Head Coach Tom Coughlin  did not address the media until after the New Orleans Saints had made their second-round selection.  That pick was rumored to be a part of any trade package that would be necessary to obtain Shockey.

The Daily News‘ Giants’ Blog is reporting that the trade to New Orleans did not occur because the Saints never came close to meeting the Giants’ trade demands.  An NFL source told The Daily News that the Giants would not lower their demands.  The Blog now says the Giants were serious about not wanting to trade Shockey, but were willing to listen to offers.  The Daily News says the Saints offered their second-round pick in the 2008 Draft and either a sixth-round pick in the 2008 Draft or a fifth-round pick in the 2009 Draft.

"Jeremy Shockey is our starting tight end," said Reese.  "And I’m going to leave it at that.  Let’s talk about the draft pick.  There is really nothing to talk about.  Jeremy Shockey is our starting tight end, and really that is the end of the story.  Anybody want to talk about the draft pick?"

"Jeremy Shockey is our starting tight end and that is the way it is," said Coughlin.  "Despite all that has been said and what have you, as I stand here right now, he is our starting tight end."

When Coughlin was asked if Shockey was close to being traded, Coughlin responded, "I don’t know that.  There has been a lot of talk, very little activity."

Coughlin was then asked if a trade possibility was dead.  "There is so much that goes on with regard to the draft in terms of picks and players that you learn over the years that the discussions come and go," said Coughlin.  "Whether there is any seriousness to them that is probably for someone else to say.  These conversations are made all the time.  The phone does ring.  This has been reported in the paper.  There have been comments about it and I don’t really have anything else to say other than the fact that Jeremy Shockey, while a New York Giant, while playing in our program, has worked very hard.  He has done a good job in mentoring, if you will, a lot of these young guys that had to come through and play for us this year, and he has outstanding ability, as you all know, and there is no change in that status as of right now."