Last Updated: August 30, 2008
2008 FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
DE JEROME McDOUGLE (Waived by Philadelphia Eagles): The Giants signed McDougle in late August 2008 after he was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles. McDougle was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Eagles. In five years with the Eagles, McDougle only played in 33 regular season games. He missed the 2005 season when he was shot in the stomach during a robbery in Miami. He missed the 2007 season with a triceps tear. He has also been plagued by knee, ankle, and rib injuries as well as an irregular heartbeat. In his career, he has accrued 35 tackles and 3 sacks. However, during the 2008 preseason, he picked up 2.5 sacks. McDougle lacks ideal size (6-2, 264lbs), but he is a good athlete with fine quickness. McDougle flashes as a pass rusher and run defender, but he has never lived up to his first-round draft hype. Hard worker. He needs to stay healthy.
PK JOHN CARNEY (Street Free Agent): The Giants signed Carney in late July 2008. Carney has played 20 years in the NFL, including for the Buccaneers (1988-89), Rams (1990), Chargers (1990-2000), Saints (2001-2006), Jaguars (2007), and Chiefs (2007). Carney played in eight games for the Jaguars and five games for the Chiefs in 2007. He finished the season 12-of-14 on field goal attempts and 27-of-28 on extra point attempts.
PK JOSH HUSTON (Street Free Agent): The Giants signed Huston in training camp in August. He had been with the Giants in training camp and the preseason in 2007, competing with Lawrence Tynes for the place-kicking job. The Giants cut Huston in early September 2007 before the season started. Huston was originally signed as a undrafted rookie free agent by the Chicago Bears after the 2006 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. As a senior in 2005, Huston connected on 22-of-28 field goal attempts, including 17-of-18 inside 40 yards and 5-of-10 beyond 40. Set a school record in 2005 by kicking 49-of-70 kickoffs for touchbacks.
STUART SCHWEIGERT (Waived by the Washington Redskins): Schweigert was signed by the Giants in August. He was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. In four seasons with the Raiders, Schweigert played in 63 games with 42 starts. The Raiders released him in May 2008. The Redskins signed him in June, but released him in August. Schweigert combines good size and decent speed. He is not overly quick or agile however; on the stiff side, he is more of a straight-line player. Schweigert reads the quarterback well. Better in zone coverage than man.
S CRAIG DAHL (Street Free Agent): Dahl was placed on Injured Reserve at the end of December 2007 due to a torn ACL that he suffered in the regular season finale against the Patriots. The Giants waived/injured him in February 2008 and then re-signed him after training camp started. Dahl was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent out of North Dakota State after the 2007 NFL Draft. In 2007, Dahl played in nine games and played surprisingly well in two starts in December. He finished the season with 19 tackles and no pass defenses. Dahl combines decent size and athleticism. He is a better run than pass defender. Dahl is a good hitter and tackler. He issmart and competitive.
DT JEREMY CLARK (Street Free Agent): Clark was signed by the Giants in late July. He was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Eagles waived him right before the 2007 season started and he spent the rest of the year on their Practice Squad. The Eagles waived him in June 2008.
RT SHANE OLIVEA (Waived by the San Diego Chargers): Olivea was signed by the Giants in July 2008. He was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL Draft. In his first three years with the Chargers, Olivea started 47-of-48 regular season games at right tackle. He started 10 games in 2007 before he was benched. The Chargers released him in February 2008. Early in his career, Olivea was classic overachiever who was tough, physical, and consistent. He lacks ideal size, athleticism, and arm length for the tackle position. Like most right tackles, he is a better run blocker than pass blocker. Olivea has had some drug issues and was almost suspended for four games for missing a drug test.
OL JONATHAN PALMER (Street Free Agent): Palmer was signed by the Giants as a “street” free agent in July 2008. He was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Auburn after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Eagles cut Palmer shortly before the season started. He spent time on the practices of the Eagles and Steelers before being signed by the Raiders. The Raiders released him in July 2008. Palmer has excellent size and is a good athlete for his size. However, he has a reputation for playing soft and lacking passion for the game. Palmer needs to dramatically improve his technique. Raw. Has experience at tackle, guard, and center.
DE/DT RENALDO WYNN (from New Orleans Saints): The Giants signed Wynn in June 2008. Wynn was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1st round of the 1997 NFL Draft. In 11 NFL seasons, Wynn has played for the Jaguars (1997-2001), Redskins (2002-2006), and Saints (2007). He has 25 career sacks. In 2007, Wynn played in 12 games for the Saints, starting one. He finished the season with 13 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Nearing the end of his career, Wynn is a disciplined, experienced technician who plays with good leverage. Physical. Wynn is a better run defender than pass rusher, but he can play tackle in pass rush situations. Consistent and durable. Wynn has good leadership skills.
S JAMES BUTLER (Re-Signed Restricted Free Agent): Butler beat out Will Demps for the starting strong safety spot in 2007. Butler missed three regular season games and was limited in another due to hamstring and ankle issues. The hamstring continued to bother him throughout the playoffs. Butler finished the regular season with 61 tackles, 7 pass defenses, and 1 interception. Butler has ideal size. He is a decent athlete but is not overly fast or quick. He is an inconsistent run defender, hitter, and tackler. In particular, Butler struggles at times tackling in the open field. Butler does make the defensive backfield calls and has been praised in this role by the defensive coordinator.
DT BRIAN SOI (Street Free Agent): Soi was signed by the Giants as a “street” free agent in May 2008. Soi was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2007 NFL Supplemental Draft. The Dolphins waived Soi in early September before the 2007 season began. Regarded as one of the top high school players in the country, Soi signed with BYU in 2003, but spent the year at Hargrave Military Academy due to academic woes. He transferred to Utah State and redshirted in 2004 with continued academic problems. In 2005, Soi started 9-of-11 games, accruing 31 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He did not play in 2006 due to academics and was ineligible for the 2007 season. Soi combines good size and athleticism. Quick. He is a stout run defender and flashes ability as a pass rusher. Plays hard.
OG JACOB HOBBS (Street Free Agent): Hobbs was signed by the Giants as a “street” free agent in May 2008. Hobbs was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. Hobbs was waived in early September before the 2007 season started. In 2006, Hobbs started all 10 games at left tackle for the University of Albany. The Eagles moved him to guard.
LS NICK LEESON (Street Free Agent): Leeson was signed by the Giants as a “street” free agent in May 2008. Leeson was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Ravens waived Leeson in August before the 2007 NFL season started. Leeson was the long snapper at Virginia Tech from 2003-2006. He entered school as a linebacker, before being moved to full-time snapper.
QB JARED LORENZEN (Re-Signed Restricted Free Agent): Lorenzen was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Giants after the 2004 NFL Draft. Lorenzen failed to report to training camp his rookie season. The Giants put him on the Reserve/Did-Not-Report List and he spent no time with the Giants for the remainder of that season. Lorenzen returned to the team in 2005 and made the squad as the Giants’ third quarterback. In the 2006 preseason, Lorenzen played well and was promoted to the primary back-up behind Manning. However, Anthony Wright beat him out for that spot in 2007 and Lorenzen was demoted to the #3 back-up. Lorenzen has a very strong arm. He has improved his accuracy and will surprise you with his mobility. However, Lorenzen is very fat and has at times weighed over 300 pounds, raising questions about his work ethic and commitment to the game.
HB DERRICK WARD (Re-Signed Unrestricted Free Agent): Ward was placed on Injured Reserve in early December 2007 with a fractured fibula. Despite missing four games with groin and hamstring injuries, Ward rushed for 602 yards and three touchdowns on 125 carries (4.8 yards per carry) in 2007. The injury-prone Ward was also placed on Injured Reserve in December 2006 after he re-fractured a bone in his right foot. Ward had originally fractured the foot during training camp and missed the first six games of the 2006 season because of the injury. The Giants added Ward to the roster in 2004 when they signed him off of the Jets’ Practice Squad. The Jets drafted Ward in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Ward has a nice combination of size and athleticism. He runs with power, but also is a decent cutback runner with good feet and some elusiveness. Ward can also catch the football. He does well covering kicks on special teams.
LB DANNY CLARK (from Houston Texans): Clark was signed by the Giants in March 2008. Clark was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his eight seasons in the NFL, Clark has played for the Jaguars (2000-2003), Raiders (2004-2005), Saints (2006), and Texans (2007). He has 66 career starts and started eight games for the Texans in 2007, finishing the year with 51 tackles, 0 sacks, and 1 interception. Clark is a solid, but unspectacular football player. He has good size but is an average athlete. Good intangibles – physical, aggressive, intense, and smart. Will hit. He has experience on the strongside and middle. Clark is a good run defender who sometimes struggles in coverage. Not much of blitzer with only five career sacks. He is a good special teams player.
QB DAVID CARR (Waived by Carolina Panthers): Carr was signed by the Giants in March 2008. Carr was originally drafted as the very first pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. The Texans waived Carr in March 2007. He was then signed by the Carolina Panthers, but the Panthers released him in February 2008. In six seasons, he has started 79 games with 62 touchdowns and 70 interceptions and completed almost 60 percent of his passes. Carr has all of the tools, but he has been a major disappointment in the NFL. He combines good size and athleticism with a strong arm. However, he appears to have lost his confidence and his leadership skills have been questioned. Inconsistent. Carr needs to do a better job of feeling pressure and getting rid of the ball quicker. He also needs to improve his decision making.
SS SAMMY KNIGHT (from the Jacksonville Jaguars): Knight has played 11 years in the NFL with four teams, including the Saints (1997-2002), Dolphins (2003-2004), Chiefs (2005-2006), and Jaguars (2007). He accrued 93 tackles, 11 pass defenses, and 4 interceptions in 2007. Knight has good size, but is nearing the end of his career and lacks the athleticism and range that most teams look for in a safety. Slow and lacks agility. His best assets are his intangibles – smart, experienced, instinctive, and a good leader. Quarterback of the secondary who makes sure everyone is lined up properly. A classic “in-the-box” safety who is a good run defender and tackler near the line of scrimmage, Knight will miss some open-field tackles. He’s strictly a zone coverage-type who you do not want locked up in man coverage against quality receivers.
PK LAWRENCE TYNES (Re-Signed Before Unrestricted Free Agent): The Giants acquired Tynes in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs in May 2007 for a conditional 7th round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Tynes finished the season 23-of-27 (85 percent) on field goal attempts (with a long of 48 yards) and 40-of-42 on extra points. Tynes was also 5-of-7 in the playoffs. In three seasons with the Chiefs, from 2004-2006, Tynes was 68-of-87 (78 percent) on field goal attempts and 137-of-141 on extra point attempts. Tynes was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Chiefs after the 2001 NFL Draft. He was cut at the end of training camp and re-signed the following offseason and allocated to NFL Europe. Tynes was released again before the 2002 NFL season started. He spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons with the Ottawa Renegades (CFL), where he converted on 71-of-87 field goal attempts (81.6 percent). In 2004, Tynes was re-signed by the Chiefs and beat out Morten Andersen for the team’s place-kicking job.
DT MANNY WRIGHT (Re-Signed Exclusive Rights Free Agent): Wright was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. He made the team but spent most of the season on the inactive list. Wright played in six games and finished the season with 2 tackles. Wright was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2005 Supplemental Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Wright was waived by the Dolphins in May 2007. The Bills claimed him off of waivers but released him soon after. Wright is a very talented athlete with superb size (6-5, 345 pounds). He can beat linemen with power and quickness. However, he has battled weight problems and emotional issues throughout his young career. Wright left the Dolphins and sat out the 2006 season. In college, at USC, Wright was plagued with academic and off-the-field problems. He has a big upside, but he has to stay mentally focused and improve his technique.
LB KEITH O’NEIL (Street Free Agent): O’Neil was signed by the Giants as a “street” free agent in February 2008. O’Neil was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2003 NFL Draft. The Cowboys waived him in early September 2005 and he was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts off of waivers. The Colts placed him on Injured Reserve in August 2007 with a chest injury. He also suffered from a hernia earlier during the 2007 training camp. O’Neil played in 31 games with the Cowboys (2003-2004) and 21 games for the Colts (2005-2006) with no starts for either team. He has 72 career tackles.
DE DAVE TOLLEFSON (Re-Signed Exclusive Rights Free Agent): Tollefson was signed by the Giants off of the Oakland Raiders’ Practice Squad in October 2007. He was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. The Packers waived him before the 2006 season started, but signed him to their Practice Squad. The Oakland Raiders signed Tollefson in January 2007 and allocated him to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. In Europe, Tollefson started 10 games and accrued 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks. The Raiders waived him before the 2007 NFL season started and signed him to their Practice Squad. Tollefson was credited with 21 career sacks during his collegiate career at Northwest Missouri State. He was a two-time All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association pick and was the conference’s defensive MVP in 2005. Tollefson was plagued with foot and shoulder problems in college. He stood out at the Hula Bowl in 2006. Tollefson is a hard-working player. He has a nice combination of size and athleticism. Tollefson needs a lot of technique work, but he has a good upside.
WR MICHAEL JENNINGS (Re-Signed Exclusive Rights Free Agent): Jennings tore his Achilles’ tendon in the second preseason game of 2007 and was added to Injured Reserve after clearing waivers. Before the injury, Jennings saw a lot of reps with the first team and looked to be a much improved player. He had finally made the Giants’ active roster in 2006 after spending time on the Giants’ Practice Squad in 2004 and 2005. Jennings finished the 2006 season with five catches for 49 yards and two rushes for 12 yards. Jennings, a track star at Florida State, did not play college football. He was originally signed by the 49ers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2004, he spent time on the Practice Squads of the Patriots and Ravens (in addition to the Giants). While Jennings lacks ideal size, he is extremely fast and quick. He also has experience in the return game and scored on a punt return against the Ravens during the 2006 preseason.
FB ROBERT DOUGLAS (Re-Signed Exclusive Rights Free Agent): The Giants signed Douglas to the 53-man roster off of the Houston Texans’ Practice Squad in December 2006. Douglas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Tennessee Titans after the 2005 NFL Draft and spent time on the Practice Squads of the Titans and Texans that year. The Buccaneers signed him in early 2006 before releasing him in July 2006. He then spent time on the Texans’ Practice Squad in both September and December before the Giants signed him. In college, at the University of Memphis, Douglas was switched from linebacker to fullback midway through his junior season. He is still learning the fullback position. Douglas is athletic and aggressive. He flashes as a pass receiver out of the backfield.
P JEFF FEAGLES (Re-Signed Before Unrestricted Free Agent): Despite the fact that Feagles turns 42 in March, he is still one of the League’s best punters. He makes up for a lack of ideal leg strength with his directional-punting skills that often pin an opposing returner along the sidelines. Feagles is also excellent at helping his team to down punts inside the 20-yard line. In 2007, in his fifth season with the Giants, Feagles averaged 40.4 yards per punt (36.0 yard net). Over one-third of his punts landed inside the 20 with only five touchbacks. Feagles does have a degenerative arthritic knee.
WR TODD LOWBER (Street Free Agent): Lowber was signed by the Vikings as a rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Vikings waived him in late August. He then spent two stints on the Giants’ Practice Squad before his contract was terminated in early January. Interestingly, Lowber did not play football in college (Ramapo College) or high school. He is a very good athlete with excellent size and exceptional speed.
HB KAY-JAY HARRIS (Giants’ Practice Squad): Harris was signed to the Giants’ Practice Squad in late November 2007. Harris was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2005 NFL Draft. The Dolphins released him in October 2006 and he spent some time with the Rams before St. Louis waived him in August 2007. Harris is a big back and a good athlete for his size. Has some power, instincts, and vision. Smooth and fluid, but he lacks speed and elusiveness. Harris is strictly a “between-the-tackles”-type runner. Can catch the ball.
TE MARCUS FREEMAN (Giants’ Practice Squad): Freeman was signed to the Giants’ Practice Squad in January 2008. Freeman was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Ravens released him before the 2007 season started and he was claimed by the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers waived him October and then signed him to their Practice Squad. Freeman is more of an H-Back type due to his lack of size. He adjusts well to the ball and has good hands, but he is not overly fast.
WR BRANDON LONDON (Giants’ Practice Squad): London was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft and spent the season on the Giants’ Practice Squad. He was an All-Atlantic 10 performer in 2006 as he led UMass in receiving with 50 catches for 781 yards (15.6 yards per catch) and 9 touchdowns. London has a lot to learn as he comes from a small-school program, but he has a very nice combination of size and speed. London also has good hands.
OT NA’SHAN GODDARD (Giants’ Practice Squad): 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 early September 2007. Goddard is big, physical tackle who played both tackle spots in the 2006 preseason for the Giants and performed fairly well.
OT/OG BRANDON TORREY (Giants’ Practice Squad): Torrey was signed to the Giants’ Practice Squad in January 2008. Torrey was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers to a futures contract in February 2006. The Steelers waived him before the season started but signed him to their Practice Squad. Torrey was signed by the Steelers again in January 2007, but waived before the season started. The Cardinals signed him to their Practice Squad in November.
CB DARREN BARNETT (Giants’ Practice Squad): The Giants signed Barnett as a rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft, waived him in June, re-signed him in August, and then waived him in early September before the season started. Barnett lacks ideal size, but he is a very good athlete. He tested extremely well at Missouri State’s pro day workouts in 2007. Barnett has character concerns. After playing well for Michigan State as a sophomore in 2003, he was kicked off the team for testing positive for drugs. He transferred to Missouri State in 2004 and earned first-team All-Gateway honors after tying for the conference lead with 7 interceptions. Barnett was ruled academically ineligible in 2005, prematurely ending his college career. He did not play football in 2005 and 2006.
S ANDREW SHANLE (Giants’ Practice Squad): Shanle was signed to the Giants’ Practice Squad in December 2007. Shanle was originally signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Bears waived him in early September before the season started. Shanle has decent size, but he is a bit limited athletically. Shanle times well, but he is a straight-line athlete – not very fluid or agile. He is smart, tough, and competitive. Lacks experience, only starting one year in college at Nebraska. Inconsistent tackler. Good special teams player.
LB RORY JOHNSON (Street Free Agent): The Giants signed Johnson to a futures contract in January 2008. The Giants had signed Johnson to their Practice Squad on September 25, 2007 but waived him on October 1. Johnson was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft. Johnson left Mississippi as a junior. At his Pro Day, Johnson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 and 4.63 seconds. Johnson lacks ideal height, but he is a good athlete. Plays hard. Johnson was productive in college, but scouting reports question his instincts. Too many tackles were down the field. Needs to attack more aggressively. Raw – needs a lot of technique work and work in pass coverage. Johnson has had some off the field issues.
PK SHANE ANDRUS (Street Free Agent): Andrus was signed by the Giants in January 2008 to a futures contract. Andrus (Murray State) was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts in February 2006. He was waived before the 2006 season, but re-signed in February 2007 and assigned to NFL Europe. The Colts waived him before the 2007 season started.
DT RODNEY LEISLE (Street Free Agent): Leisle was signed by the Giants in January 2008 to a futures contract. Leisle was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He only played in three games his first two years with the Saints. 2006 was his best season as he accrued 16 tackles in 14 games (with one start). The Saints released him in August 2007. Leisle is a blue-collar overachiever. Not very athletic, he lacks quickness and mobility. But he is a plugger who plays hard and plays with an attitude. Leisle is strong and anchors well in run defense. He is not much of a pass rusher.
2007 FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
CB GEOFFREY POPE: Pope was signed to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad at the end of December 2007. The Miami Dolphins signed Pope as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft, but he was waived by the team in early September. While he lacks ideal size, Pope is a good athlete with excellent speed. Not overly instinctive as a pass defender, Pope also needs to improve his play in run support.
TE JEROME COLLINS: Collins was signed to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad in mid-December when Jeremy Shockey was lost for the season. Collins was drafted by the Rams in the 5th round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played in three games for the Rams in 2005, but the Rams released him before the 2006 season. In 2006, Collins spent time on the Cowboys’ Practice Squad before the Colts signed him to their active roster. Collins did not play in a single game for the Colts and ruptured his Achilles tendon in practice in December and was placed on Injured Reserve. The Colts waived him in February 2007. Collins combines excellent size and athletic ability. He tested very well at the NFL Combine. However, he does not look quite as athletic or fast on the football field. Adjusts well to the football and runs well after the catch. Lacks experience as he only played tight end his senior year in college as was part of a three-man rotation. Needs to improve his blocking and route running skills. Flashes as a blocker and receiver, but he still needs a lot of development.
HB DANNY WARE (New York Jets’ Practice Squad): Ware was signed by the Giants off of the Jets’ Practice Squad in early December 2007. Ware entered the 2007 NFL Draft after his junior season. He was not drafted but signed by the Tennessee Titans after the draft. The Titans waived him in June and the Jets claimed him a few days later. The Jets released him before the 2007 season started and signed him to their Practice Squad. Ware was a highly recruited running back coming out of high school and he started as a freshman at Georgia. However, Ware was not overly productive in college and shared time with other backs. Ware is a big back with decent athleticism, power, and vision. Not elusive or fast. Catches the ball well. Ware has had fumbling and confidence issues.
LB TANK DANIELS: Daniels was signed to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad in late November 2007. Daniels was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2006 NFL Draft. Daniels spent time on both the Practice Squad and the active roster of the Eagles in 2006. He was released by the Eagles in early September 2007 and the Giants added him to their Practice Squad later that month.
HB/FB PATRICK PASS (Street Free Agent): Pass was signed by the Giants in late November 2007. Pass was originally drafted by the New England Patriots in the 7th round of the 2000 NFL Draft. In 2006, he was placed on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury. Pass signed with the Houston Texans in July 2007 but was waived in August. With New England, Pass rushed for the ball 128 times for 526 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 66 passes for 570 yards and a touchdown. Pass is a bit of a HB/FB ‘tweener. He catches the ball well out of the backfield and can pick up the blitz. Good special teams player.
DE DAVE TOLLEFSON (Oakland Raiders’ Practice Squad): Tollefson was signed by the Giants off of the Oakland Raiders’ Practice Squad in October 2007. He was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. The Packers waived him before the 2006 season started, but signed him to their Practice Squad. The Oakland Raiders signed Tollefson in January 2007 and allocated him to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. In Europe, Tollefson started 10 games and accrued 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks. The Raiders waived him before the 2007 NFL season started and signed him to their Practice Squad. Tollefson was credited with 21 career sacks during his collegiate career at Northwest Missouri State. He was a two-time All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association pick and was the conference’s defensive MVP in 2005. Tollefson was plagued with foot and shoulder problems in college. He stood out at the Hula Bowl in 2006. Tollefson is a hard-working player and a good athlete. He needs a lot of technique work.
DT RUSSELL DAVIS (Waived by Seattle Seahawks): Davis was signed by the Giants in September 2007. He is a nine-year veteran who has played with the Bears (1999), Cardinals (2000-2005), and Seahawks (2006). The Seahawks waived him on September 4, 2007. Last year for Seattle, Davis played in 13 games with no starts. He accrued 30 tackles and a career-high three sacks. Davis is a decent run defender, but not much of a pass rusher (11.5 career sacks). Davis was originally drafted by the Bears in the 2nd round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
OC NICK JONES (Street Free Agent): Jones was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. He was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2007 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks waived him in July.
S/KR J.R. REED (Street Free Agent): Reed was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. Reed was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played in 14 games as a rookie, being credited with 23 tackles. Reed suffered a serious injury to his knee during the following offseason and spent the 2005 season on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List. He was one of the Eagles final cuts before the season started in 2006. Reed was then signed by the Rams. He played in nine games for St. Louis before being waived in November 2006. The Falcons signed Reed in December, playing in the final two games of the season. The Falcons waived him in April 2007. Reed has experience returning kicks.
CB DARREN BARNETT (Street Free Agent): The Giants signed Barnett as a street free agent in August 2007. Barnett was originally signed by the Giants in May 2007 after the Rookie Mini-Camp, but the team waived him in June. Barnett lacks ideal size, but he is a very good athlete. Confident – he feels he can compete with the best. He tested extremely well at Missouri State’s pro day workouts in 2007. Barnett has huge character concerns. He has not played football since 2004. After playing well for Michigan State as a sophomore in 2003, he was kicked off the team for testing positive for drugs. He transferred to Missouri State in 2004 and earned first-team All-Gateway honors after tying for the conference lead with 7 interceptions. Barnett was ruled academically ineligible in 2005. His college career was over. He did not play football in 2005 and 2006.
DT TUI ALAILEFALEULA (Street Free Agent) : Alailefaleula was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. Alailefaleula was originally signed as a rookie free agent after the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He missed was placed on Injured Reserve by the Jets in late August; the Jets cut him off of Injured Reserve in October 2006. Alailefaleula is huge, listed at 6-4 and 345 pounds.
DT MANNY WRIGHT (Street Free Agent): Wright was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. He was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2005 Supplemental Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Wright was waived by the Dolphins in May 2007. The Bills claimed him off of waivers but released him soon after. Wright is a very talented athlete with excellent size (6-5, 345 pounds). However, he has battled weight problems and emotional issues. Wright left the Dolphins and sat out the 2006 season due to depression. In college, at USC, Wright was plagued with academic and off-the-field problems.
OT MYNIYA SMITH (Street Free Agent) : Smith was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. Smith was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Houston Texans after the 2005 NFL Draft. He was cut by Texans in June 2005. The Giants signed him in July 2005, waived him in September, then signed him to their Practice Squad, where he remained for the remainder of the 2005 season. The Giants did not re-sign him in 2006 and he did not play football that season. Smith has excellent size (6-5, 351 pounds).
OT DAN PARRISH (Street Free Agent): Parrish was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in August 2007. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2007 NFL Draft. The Jaguars waived him in late July. Parrish has excellent size (6-7, 345 pounds).
SS RICHARD YANCY (Street Free Agent): Yancy was signed by the Giants in late July 2007. Yancy was a member of 49ers in 2004 and a member of the Chargers in 2005 as a participant in the NFL International Practice Squad Program. From 2005-2007, Yancy was the starting strong safety on the now-defunct Rhein Fire.
WR KEVIN McMAHAN (Street Free Agent): McMahan was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in July 2007. He was originally drafted by the Raiders in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft, being the last player selected in the entire draft. He was one of the Raiders last cuts in September 2006. The Colts signed him in February 2007 but waived him in July. McMahan played collegiately at the University of Maine. He has decent size (6-2, 200lbs) and very good speed (4.31). He is very green and needs work on running routes.
OG ZACH PILLER (Waived by the Detroit Lions): Piller was signed by the Giants in June 2007. Piller was originally drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft. In eight seasons with the Titans, Piller started 58 games. He missed most of the 2006 season with an ankle injury. The Titans waived him in February 2007. The Detroit Lions signed him in March, but later waived him in May. Piller is a mauling run blocker who creates movement at the point-of-attack. He is aggressive and tough. Plays with an attitude. Lacks ideal athleticism and isn’t as strong when pulling or engaging defenders at the second level. He can have problems with quick pass rushers at times. Piller has been somewhat injury-prone in his career.
HB DERRICK WARD (Re-Signed - Restricted Free Agent): Ward was placed on Injured Reserve in December 2006 after he re-fractured a bone in his right foot. Ward had originally fractured the foot in training camp and missed the first six games of the 2006 season because of the injury. The Giants added Ward to the roster in 2004 when they signed him off of the Jets’ Practice Squad. He was drafted by the Jets in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL Draft. In 2005, Ward rushed the ball 35 times for 123 yards for the Giants. In his injury-shortened 2006 season, Ward only played on special teams. He did not stand out as a kickoff returner, averaging 20.3 yards per return. Ward has a nice combination of size and athleticism. He runs with power, but also is a decent cutback runner with good feet and some elusiveness. Ward can also catch the football, but he must work on his blitz pick-ups. He does well covering kicks on special teams.
DE ADRIAN AWASOM (Re-Signed - Exclusive Rights Free Agent): Awasom was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2005 NFL Draft and surprisingly made the team despite the presence of Strahan, Umenyiora, Tuck, and sixth round draft pick Eric Moore on the roster. But the coaching staff was impressed enough with him in training camp and the preseason to keep him on the team. In the 2005 regular season, Awasom’s only action came on special teams. Awasom again impressed during the 2006 preseason, but with the drafting of Mathias Kiwanuka, he was relegated to the Practice Squad. The Giants signed him to the active roster in late October 2006 when injuries hit the defensive end position. He finished the season with 12 tackles and 1 sack. Awasom has nice combination of size and athleticism. He has long arms and has decent quickness and agility. He is an OK run defender, but he needs to become tougher at the point-of-attack and shed blocks more quickly. Awasom is a decent pass rusher.
SS GIBRIL WILSON (Re-Signed - Restricted Free Agent): Counting two playoff games, Gibril Wilson has started 33 games at strong safety for the Giants during the past two seasons. During the regular season in 2005, he accrued 110 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass defenses. In 2006, he finished the regular season with 100 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 8 pass defenses. Gibril started seven games in 2004 as a rookie after Shaun Williams was lost for the season and before a serious neck injury caused Wilson himself to miss the remainder of the season. Wilson flashed more in pass defense in 2004 with three interceptions in those seven games. Wilson is not very big for a safety. His lack of prototypical strong safety size hurts him at times in run defense although he is a pretty aggressive player. Wilson missed too many tackles in 2006. While he is fairly athletic with good speed and quickness for a safety, he does not make many plays in pass defense. Wilson does flash as a blitzer.
DT TITUS ADAMS (Re-Signed - Exclusive Rights Free Agent): Adams was originally drafted by the New York Jets in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The Jets cut Adams in early September and then signed him to their Practice Squad. The Giants signed Adams in early December 2006 off of the Jets’ Practice Squad. Adams combines decent size with athleticism. He has long arms and natural strength. Aggressive and pursues well – has good range. Adams plays the run well. He flashes at times on the pass rush. Lacks consistency. Adams played some defensive end at the University of Nebraska too.
LB REGGIE TORBOR (Re-Signed - Restricted Free Agent): Reserve strongside linebacker Reggie Torbor was drafted by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Torbor was an undersized defensive end in college and the Giants used him as a situational pass rusher from the right defensive end spot during his rookie season. Torbor improved his linebacking play in 2005 and started nine games that season. However, despite all of the injuries and generally ineffective play at linebacker in 2006, Torbor did not see all that much playing time. He did start three games in November and finished the regular season with 29 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass defense. Torbor has a decent combination of size, strength, and athleticism. He has improved his ability to stack and shed at the point-of-attack. However, Torbor is not all that fast or quick, and does not stand out in pass coverage. He is a good special teams player.
QB ANTHONY WRIGHT (from the Cincinnati Bengals): Anthony Wright was signed by the Giants in April 2007. He was originally signed as undrafted rookie free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 1999 NFL Draft. Since that time, he has played with the Dallas Cowboys (2000-2001), Baltimore Ravens (2002-2005), and Cincinnati Bengals (2006). In eight NFL seasons, he has started a total 19 games, completing 55.4 percent of his passes for 3,578 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. Wright lacks ideal height, but he is a good athlete who can make plays with his feet and who has a strong arm. Not overly accurate and he will force the football into coverage. Wright needs to make better decisions when throwing the football. He has been somewhat injury-prone.
DT MARCUS BELL (Waived by the Detroit Lions): Marcus Bell was signed by the Giants in April 2007. He was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals waived Bell in 2004 and he was claimed by the Lions. The Lions cut Bell in March 2007. In 2006 for the Lions, Bell started seven games and accrued 39 tackles and one sack. During his six-year career, he has started a total of 21 games. Bell was placed on Injured Reserve in December with a broken hand. Bell is a big nose tackle who can two-gap and hold the point-of-attack against the double team. Better run defender than pass rusher. Tough and intense. Bell has had issues in the past with his conditioning and stamina.
S/CB MICHAEL STONE (from the Houston Texans): Michael Stone was signed by the Giants in April 2007. He was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Stone was signed by the St. Louis Rams in 2005. The Rams waived him before the season started and he was picked up by the New England Patriots. In 2006, Stone signed with the Texans. Stone’s most productive season was with the Patriots in 2005 when he accrued 46 tackles in 13 games, starting three. He only played in two games with the Texans. Stone has experience at both cornerback and safety. Stone is a fast player who excels on special teams. Good hitter and tackler. Not an instinctive player on defense. Stone lacks ideal agility and quickness for corner and ideal size for safety. He has been somewhat injury-prone.
PK MARC HICKOK (Street Free Agent): Hickok was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in April 2007. At the University of Connecticut, from 1999-2002, Hickok connected on 27-of-38 field goal attempts (71 percent) and 82-of-86 extra point attempts. In both 2001 and 2002, he made 12-of-17 field goal attempts (71 percent).
P CORY OHNESORGE (Street Free Agent) : Ohnesorge was signed by the Giants as a street free agent in April 2007. At Occidental College, from 2002-2005, Ohnesorge averaged 41.1 yards per punt on 155 punts. His longest punt was 79 yards, and he placed 49 punts inside the 20.
OC/OG GREY RUEGAMER (Re-Signed - Unrestricted Free Agent): Ruegamer is a versatile lineman who has played center, guard, and even some tight end for the Giants. He was originally drafted by the Dolphins in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft, but did not play that season for Miami. Ruegamer signed with the Patriots in 2000 and started three games in three years with New England. In 2003, he signed with the Packers, starting 11 games in 2004 and two games in 2005. Ruegamer signed with the Giants in 2006. He played in all 16 regular season games and started at left guard in the regular-