Mar 142014
 
Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (December 8, 2013)

Hakeem Nicks – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Hakeem Nicks Signs with Indianapolis Colts: Unrestricted free agent wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants) has signed with the Indianapolis Colts. The deal is reportedly a 1-year, $3.5 million contract plus another $2 million in incentives.

Because of this move, we have updated the New York Giants Free Agent Losses (with scouting report), New York Giants 2014 Free Agency Scorecard, and Roster sections of the website.

Jameel McClain Signing Official: The New York Giants officially confirmed that they have signed unrestricted free agent linebacker Jameel McClain. The deal is reportedly a 2-year, $4.1 million contract and includes a $600,000 signing bonus.

McClain was released by the Baltimore Ravens in late February.

“It was a mixture of surprise and disappointment,” McClain said. “You learn with more time in this league that it’s a business and sometimes they make business decisions that most people don’t understand. It just was one of those things that was like, ‘Dust yourself off and try again.’”

“(Signing with the Giants is) an opportunity,” McClain said. “I believe in opportunity and I believe that everything happens for a reason. Now I get a chance to re-create myself. I get a chance to re-create my own identity without being placed with any label. No disrespect to anything that I’ve been through or anybody anywhere else, but when you get into this position you have to choose the best for your family, the best for your career, the best for your longevity. This was one of those circumstances for me where I could come here and create myself and compete and be the player that I want to be or the player that I can be.

“I love this organization. I love the tradition here. The players are amazing. I had the opportunity to talk to a few. Being close to home is very important. I’m a family man, I have a lot of nieces and nephews that I need to be next to. It’s a great opportunity for me, in all honesty.

“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder the size of a golden nugget. I’m all the way there. Every time that I get a little itch, God always slaps me in the back of the head and says, ‘Jameel, you’ve got a long way to go.’ I signed a little deal and then after that I got hurt, that was God slapping me on the back on the head. Once I came back from that injury then I get cut, so that’s God slapping me on the back of the head again, just saying, ‘Your job is to be the underdog.’ For the world to see that the underdog can make it possible, that’s my destination, that’s going to be my journey. I know it and I accept it.”

McClain will now have to adjust from the 3-4 defense to the 4-3.

“I really think people do make too much of it,” said McClain. “Football is football. Maybe it’s not so much for me because I believe I’m so versatile a player. I’ve played every position. None of that really scares me at all. It all just seems so familiar.”

McClain missed the Ravens’ post-season Super Bowl run in 2012 because he was on Injured Reserve with a spinal cord contusion.

“I missed that, so I really don’t have a ring,” said McClain. “I feel I have a chance to win one with his organization. Winning is everything. If you’re in this game, you should only be playing to win and to compete. Without that, what are we left with? A bunch of numbers on the board? It really doesn’t mean anything. I play this game to win, I play this game for respect and this organization does that at the highest level. I’m happy to be a part of it.”

A video interview with Jameel McClain is available at Giants.com.

Shelley Smith Signs with Dolphins: Unrestricted free agent offensive guard Shelley Smith (St. Louis Rams) has signed a 2-year, $5.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Smith visited the Giants on Wednesday.

Giants.com Interview with S Stevie Brown: A video of a Giants.com interview with safety Stevie Brown is available at Giants.com.

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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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