Jake Long Visits Giants Again; Coughlin Comments on JPP

 Posted by
Jul 292015
 
Jake Long, St. Louis Rams (September 14, 2014)

Jake Long – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Jake Long Visits Giants Again: According to multiple press reports, unrestricted free agent offensive tackle Jake Long visited the New York Giants again on Wednesday. Long, who just met with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week, originally met with the Giants on May 28. However, Long left the Giants without signing a contract for a second time and will reportedly visit with the Denver Broncos next. The New York Daily News is reporting that the Giants remain interested in Long, but he is exploring all of his options and is in “no rush” to sign a contract.

The 30-year old Long was the first player selected in the 2008 NFL Draft when the Miami Dolphins picked him. Long played for five seasons in Miami and was selected to four straight Pro Bowls from 2008-11. In 2013, he signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams but tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in a game in December 2013. Long then re-tore the same ACL in a game in October 2014. The injury-prone Long has finished each of the last four seasons on Injured Reserve. The Rams cut him in March 2015.

NJ.com is reporting that Long is believed to have “checked out medically” and went through an on-field workout for the Giants on Wednesday.

The 6’7”, 322-pound Long was once regarded as one of the best left tackles in the game, but two back-to-back ACL tears to the same knee have obviously put his career in jeopardy. If Long can pass a physical and contribute, he could provide competition and insurance for an offensive line that will be without starting left tackle Will Beatty for the first half of the 2015 season. Beatty tore his pectoral muscle while lifting weights in May.

During spring workouts, the Giants first-team offensive line has had Ereck Flowers at left tackle, Justin Pugh at left guard, Weston Richburg at center, Geoff Schwartz at right guard, and Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.

Tom Coughlin Comments on JPP: In an interview with SI.com, New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin spoke about Jason Pierre-Paul for the first time since the defensive end severely injured his right hand and arm in a July 4th fireworks accident. There is still no concrete information on the true extent of Pierre-Paul’s injuries which are believed to include a right index finger amputation (including knuckle), fractured right thumb (requiring pins), skin grafts to his lower right arm, and possibly additional finger and hand fractures.

“I texted Jason right away (after I heard about the accident),” said Coughlin. “I just said, ‘How can I help you?’ But I didn’t hear anything back, so. And really there has been very little information even to this point in time. Everybody in this building is concerned with him and his welfare. Even to the point where this fiasco, when Ronnie (Barnes) goes down there and Jessie (Armstead) goes down there, and he won’t see them – these are the people he has depended on all the time he has been there. I don’t know what he thought he was going to accomplish by not allowing them to be there to assist, to help, whatever needed to be done.

“I thought that was a really poor move by them. By his people. I don’t know what they think they are hiding. It only makes us, me personally, think the worst. I think (Defensive Line Coach) Robert Nunn has talked to him a couple times on the phone. He tries to assure people that he is fine or going to be fine, but I don’t know any more than that.

“I want to be there for him. But he’s decided that he doesn’t want our help. He thinks that something will come of it. But, all I care about, all any of us care about, the whole organization, is the well-being of the kid. Something traumatic has taken place here, and we have all kinds of experts here in this city that are at our disposal. Putting those things together is very easy.”

Coughlin was then asked if he thought Pierre-Paul would report to training camp on Thursday. “I don’t know,” responded Coughlin. “I don’t know what to expect anymore. I told everybody I thought he would come to the mandatory mini-camp. I thought he would be here for that. He didn’t come for that, either. Now that’s not all his doing. The agent has a big part in that, and it should be that the player takes a stand, but he’s obviously going to take the advice of his agent.”

New York Giants Pre-Training Camp Articles:

Offensive Tackle Jake Long Visits the New York Giants

 Posted by
May 282015
 
Jake Long, St. Louis Rams (September 14, 2014)

Jake Long – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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According to multiple press reports, unrestricted free agent offensive left tackle Jake Long visited the New York Giants today.

The 30-year old Long was the first player selected in the 2008 NFL Draft when the Miami Dolphins picked him. Long played for five seasons in Miami and was selected to four straight Pro Bowls from 2008-11. In 2013, he signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams but tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in a game in December 2013. Long then re-tore the same ACL in a game in October 2014. The Rams cut him in March 2015.

The 6’7”, 322-pound Long was once regarded as one of the best left tackles in the game, but two back-to-back ACL tears to the same knee have obviously put his career in jeopardy. It is not known if Long can even pass a team physical at this point. If he can, Long could provide competition and insurance for an offensive line that will be without starting left tackle Will Beatty for 5-6 months. Beatty tore his pectoral muscle while lifting weights last week.

In the first two team Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices, the Giants first-team offensive line has had Ereck Flowers at left tackle, Justin Pugh at left guard, Weston Richburg at center, Geoff Schwartz and John Jerry at right guard, and Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.