Shaun O’Hara Not Happy With New York Giants Latest Offer: According to The Daily News, soon-to-be unrestricted free agent OC Shaun O’Hara and his agents are not happy with the supposed final, “take-it-or-leave it” 6-year, $21.6 million contract offer presented by the Giants at the NFL Combine last Friday. That offer also reportedly includes $7-7.5 million in guaranteed money. Ironically, the contract on the table is the one O’Hara originally had sought from the Giants. But once the market was inflated by the 6-year, $30 million contract that OC Andre Gurode received from the Cowboys, O’Hara and his agents upped their contract demands.
The Daily News says that O’Hara’s agents told their client to take a step back and think about the offer. The paper reports that there is a small chance that talks between both sides will re-open today. But free agency starts on Friday and O’Hara is likely to receive a better offer from another team if he hits the open market.
Other Free Agent Rumblings: With long snapper Ryan Kuehl re-signed (see story below), those scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on Friday include TE Visanthe Shiancoe, OC Shaun O’Hara, OG/OC Grey Ruegamer, OG Steve Edwards, OG Lewis Kelly, LB Brandon Short, CB Frank Walker, and PK Jay Feely. According to The Daily News, of this group, the Giants are only interested in re-signing Feely, O’Hara, and Ruegamer. The paper says the offer on the table for Ruegamer is only a 1-year deal worth near the veteran minimum.
The Daily News also claims that the Giants are taking a wait-and-see approach with Feely in order to see what other kickers become available and what the market price for kickers turns out to be. According to The New York Post, the Giants and Feely have tried to iron out a new deal, but have been unsuccessful as Feely wants more money. “I’m definitely headed to free agency,” said Feely. “There’s no doubt in my mind. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to be a Giant This is the first time I’ve been able to go into free agency coming off the two best years of my career. I’ve got some power, or whatever you want to call it.” Feely said he would re-sign with the Giants if he was offered a 5-year, $10 million contract that included $3 million in guaranteed money a similar contract to what the Rams’ Jeff Wilkins, Bills’ Rian Lindell, and Vkings’ Ryan Longwell received.
If tendered, those set to become restricted free agents will be HB Derrick Ward, WR Darius Watts, LB Reggie Torbor, and SS Gibril Wilson. If tendered, those set to become exclusive rights free agents include DT Titus Adams and DE Adrian Awasom. If any of these players from either group are not tendered, they also will become unrestricted free agents. General Manager Jerry Reese said at the NFL Combine that the Giants would tender Torbor and Wilson, and probably Ward.
New York Giants Re-Sign Long Snapper Ryan Kuehl: The Giants have officially announced that they have re-signed long snapper Ryan Kuehl, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Friday. Kuehl turned 35 years old in January. 2007 will be his 12th season in the NFL. Terms of the deal are not yet known.
“A bunch of teams have called, but I’ve been talking with (Giants’ Assistant General Manager) Kevin (Abrams) for the last month,” Kuehl said. “I wanted to come back and play a fifth year in New York and be with Jeff (Feagles) and the other guys on the team and do my little part in taking care of the ball in the kicking game and see if we can’t win a few more games this year and put ourselves in a better position in the playoffs.”
“I’m comfortable (here),” said Kuehl. “Being close to home (in Maryland) is important to me. I like playing in New York, I like going into the city. The contacts I’ve made outside of the Giants are important to me, and the guys I play with are important to me. The Giants are close to home, it’s a good organization, and I have a lot of friends up there on the team and outside the team. I’d like to keep it going.”
“I still get a kick from running out of the tunnel in Giants Stadium,” Kuehl said. “And I have such a good relationship with Jeff (Feagles), who is the holder as well as the punter. I rely on him and I think he relies on me. That’s a nice relationship to be in. We get along great and have a good time at camp. I consider myself an old pro, and hopefully I’ll be there in September to help the club.”
“It’s great news,” Feagles said. “(Ryan is) a true professional, he takes his job very seriously and it shows with his production on the field It’s like a pitcher and a catcher working together for years. You know each other. If you have somebody new, you have to develop that relationship, you have to learn his tendencies. I just know when Ryan is going to snap the ball and we have that chemistry. It’s very, very important, not only to the players, but to the organization, to know that’s a constant and that they don’t have to worry about that.”
