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Kevin Gilbride Talks Giants: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride addressed fans at Southern Connecticut State University yesterday. Here are some tidbits he revealed during a Q&A session with the audience:

• As of now at wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks will remain outside with Victor Cruz in the slot in three wide receiver sets. “(The slot receiver) was what Cruz was this year,” Gilbride said. “He can play the outside, but he was much more proficient inside.” The Giants will be looking for one of the other veteran receivers such as Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan, and Domenik Hixon to compete with rookie Rueben Randle for the other outside spot. Gilbride said Jernigan will have to adapt to being more of an outside receiver. “You need that third guy,” Gilbride said. “Hopefully, if not one of our returning veterans, Randle will be able to give us what we’re looking for.”

• On the offensive line, Gilbride said the team hasn’t made a decision yet on where everyone will play, but said the most likely lineup would have David Diehl at right tackle, Chris Snee at right guard, David Baas at center, Kevin Booth at left guard, and Will Beatty at left tackle. “That would certainly seem to be the most likely way to do it,” Gilbride said. “Those are your five guys starting…You have five starters but you got to get some guys behind that come to the forefront in case one of them goes down…There were too many changes and injuries with the guys (last season) so we never really meshed. We got better as the season went on and the playoffs we got it going a bit. Right now, to be honest, we’re throwing the ball so well that it opens up opportunities for the running game.”

• On newcomer TE Martellus Bennett: “I think he has the chance to be a very good all-around player; blocker, receiver, the whole bit,” Gilbride said. “He just hasn’t done it to the satisfaction of the Dallas people. We look at him and we see as a guy that physically has the chance to be very good.”

Travis Beckum Still Hoping to Return by Start of Season: TE/H-Back Travis Beckum tore the the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Super Bowl. The Daily News is reporting that Beckum still hopes to be able to return to action by the start of the 2012 season in September. According to the paper, Beckum is no longer using a brace and feels little pain. While he has not begun running yet, Beckum has progressed to strength exercises on the injured leg.

Notes and Quotes: QB Eli Manning on the team’s 2012 draft that was heavy on offensive players (five of the seven draft picks): “It’s always good when you can get good offensive guys to come join the team. I know they have a rookie mini-camp coming up this weekend, looking forward for them to get into the facility and get where I can start working with them, get ‘em kind of caught up with the offense and see how they can help us this year.”

The Giants’ rookie mini-camp will be held May 11-13.

Want to See the Giants in Person Either Home or Away? Visit GoTickets.com.

OTA and Mini-Camp Dates Set: The dates for the Giants’ upcoming rookie mini-camp, Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices, and full-team mini-camp have been set. For details, see the Important Dates section of the website.

Article/Video on WR Hakeem Nicks: WR Nicks Ranked #90 on NFL Top 100 by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

Article on OT Matt McCants: Yard Work Came First for Former UAB OT Matt McCants on Saturday by Steve Irvine of The Birmingham News

Quotes: CB Prince Amukamara on the upcoming season and QB Eli Manning: “Everyone’s excited. Eli’s already set the tone. Just telling everybody that, ‘Last year is last year. This year it’s a new year. Everyone’s going to be gunning for us, and just be prepared.’”

Want to See the Giants in Person Either Home or Away? Visit GoTickets.com.

LB Jonathan Goff Signs With Redskins: Unrestricted free agent LB Jonathan Goff has signed with the Washington Redskins. Because of this transaction, we have updated the Transactions, 2012 Free Agent Scorecard, and Free Agent Losses (with scouting report) sections of the website.

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

Rookie Mini-Camp Dates Set: The Giants’ rookie mini-camp will be held May 11-13. For a listing of other key dates, see the Important Dates section of the website.

Giants.com Q&A With LB Mark Herzlich: The video of a recent Giants.com Q&A with LB Mark Herzlich is available at Giants.com.

Article on the Giants’ Draft Picks and the Veterans: Veterans to Help Transition Rookies to NFL by Michael Eisen of Giants.com

Article on WR Rueben Randle and S Janzen Jackson: Different Paths to NFL by Mike Detillier of The Daily Comet

Article on S Janzen Jackson: Jackson Must Stay Out of Trouble to Have NFL Shot by of AmericanPress.com

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Giants Select Four More Players on Final Day of 2012 NFL Draft: The final four rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft were held on Saturday. The Giants selected the following four players:

• 4th Round: TE Adrien Robinson, Cincinnati
• 4th Round: OT Brandon Mosley, Auburn
• 6th Round: OT Matt McCants, Alabama-Birmingham
• 7th Round: DT Markus Kuhn, N.C. State

For analysis of the selections, as well as reaction from Giants’ officials, see the Draft Review section of the website.

Umenyiora Still a Giant: There was some speculation before the draft that DE Osi Umenyiora might be traded. Umenyiora is entering the last year of his current contract and has made it known he would like a new, lucrative deal.

“All options are open with respect to that,” said General Manager Jerry Reese after the draft. “Our first choice with respect to Osi is that he will play for the Giants and retire as a Giant. That is what we would like to happen. Osi has been offered an extension two years in a row now. So we would still like to make it work. Hopefully it will work out. But all of our options are always open.”

BBI Store: Want to show support for your favorite football team? Visit the BBI Store (Amazon.com).

Want to See the Giants in Person Either Home or Away? Visit GoTickets.com.

Giants Select HB David Wilson in the First Round: The Giants selected HB David Wilson (Virginia Tech) in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft on Thursday night. For analysis of the selection as well as reaction from Giants’ officials and the player, see the Draft Review section of the website.

Giants Sign DT Shaun Rogers: The Giants have officially signed unrestricted free agent DT Shaun Rogers (New Orleans Saints). The 33-year Rogers spent most of his career with the Lions and Browns and was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2004, 2005, and 2008.

“I’m kind of honored and I appreciated them holding me in a regard enough to put me in along (their defensive line),” Rogers said of joining the Giants. “Those guys are most definitely top-notch pass rushers, defensive linemen right now, especially in their prime. I’m just happy to be a part of that group, those guys are going to help me out and hopefully I can help them out. Hopefully, we can be another Super Bowl champion. You get an opportunity to join an organization of this caliber with lofty goals and a great track record, you go ahead and do that. Hopefully, I can bring some of my experience over the past few years and just fit in and play a part.”

“When you’re sitting out there (on the open free agent market) you always have (retirement) in the back of your head being an 11-year vet – maybe this is the time, is it not the time, how I am feeling, how am I transitioning this offseason?” said Rogers. “There are a lot of variables that play into that whole card. But there was still some interest, so I figured as long as they’re still interested I have something to offer. I still most definitely feel that I can bring something to the table. I might not be exactly like I was in ’06, but I still have some tricks and I still have some good push in me.”

Because of this move, we have updated the Transactions, 2012 Free Agent Scorecard, and Free Agent Signings (with scouting report) sections of the website.

Giants Interested in DT Albert Haynesworth?: According to The Star-Ledger, before the Giants signed DT Shaun Rogers, they were also interested in unrestricted free agent DT Albert Haynesworth, who was waived by the Patriots last season and waived by the Buccaneers in February.

BBI Store: Want to show support for your favorite football team? Visit the BBI Store (Amazon.com).