Sep 042007
 

Michael Strahan Returns: DE Michael Strahan, who has been absent without leave since training camp started in late July, finally decided to join his teammates yesterday. Strahan is scheduled to practice with the team today. The team will determine if Strahan is capable of being activated for the game this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants asked the NFL for and was granted a two-week roster exemption for Strahan. That means that within the next two weeks the Giants won’t have to remove another another player from the roster until the Giants decide to play him.

“Michael reported to the team this afternoon,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “His arrival time here at the stadium is no reflection on his desire to be part of this team. There were some practical, administrative issues that needed to be finalized. Obviously, we are glad that Michael is back, that he wants to be back and that he wants to continue his playing career. As I have stated several times since the beginning of training camp, Michael Strahan is a Hall of Fame player and we are a stronger team with him. The past few weeks are behind us. We’re moving forward. We’re looking forward to opening the season in Dallas.”

“We have requested and been granted a roster exemption for Michael,” said Reese. “The period for the exemption is two games, which means at any point during that time we can put Michael on the active roster.”

“Michael came in this afternoon and we had a good conversation,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “He wants to be here and he wants to play and it was obvious to me he wants to get to work and be part of this team. We will take the next day or so to assess where Michael is in terms of his conditioning. He has always taken tremendous care of himself. We’ll see where he is and as the week progresses, we’ll evaluate what kind of role he may play this week.”

New York Giants Sign Three More Players to the Practice Squad: The Giants have added three more players to the Practice Squad.:

  • OT Na’Shan Goddard
  • WR Fred Gibson
  • CB Geoffrey Pope

Goddard was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2006 NFL Draft. He made the team, but was inactive for the first seven games of the season. He was then waived and was claimed off of waivers by the Jets. The Jets waived him on Saturday.

Gibson was drafted in the 4th round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Steelers, but he failed to make the team that season. Gibson spent time on the practice squad of the Dolphins in 2005 and 2006. The Falcons signed him in February 2007 but released him in July. The Rams then signed him in August, but waived him later that month.

Pope was signed was a rookie who was waived by the Dolphins on Saturday.

The team can still add on more player to the Practice Squad.

New York Giants Workout Kickers and Long Snappers: According to press reports, the Giants worked out several kickers and long snappers yesterday. One of the kickers was Dave Rayner, who was recently released by the Packers. However, The Star-Ledger is reporting that Rayner did not stand out in the workout and will not be signed by the team. Rayner apparently felt differently. “He felt he had a great workout,” said Rayner’s agent. “If that organization makes an offer, we’d jump on it in a second.”

Article on DE Michael Strahan: Giants Players Say Michael Strahan’s Holdout Not a Distraction by Gary Myers of The New York Daily News

Article on HB Tiki Barber’s New Tell-All Book: Tiki Barber Would Still Be Giant if Tom Coughlin Was Not Coach, Former RB’s Memoir Reveals by Jonathan Lemire of The New York Daily News

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Eric Kennedy

Eric Kennedy is Editor-in-Chief of BigBlueInteractive.com, a publication of Big Blue Interactive, LLC. Follow @BigBlueInteract on Twitter.

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