Plaxico Burress’ trial date was pushed back to June 15, which doesn’t bode well for the Giants’ enigmatic WR. My initial thoughts on this were Plax would get probation and then deal with the bigger hurdle of convincing the Giants, and Tom Coughlin, he was ready to come back and be a team first guy. But news of this adjournment tells me both sides can’t come to an agreement on a plea.
Burress obviously wants probation, or at most three months I would think, so he can get back to playing football ASAP. The prosecution is probably looking more at six months to a year which is very consistent with similar plea bargains. Which side will blink first? I distinctly believe now if Plax doesn’t play this year with the Giants, his career in New York will be over.
This new date hurts the Giants from the perspective that the draft, and potential draft day trades, will (probably) be completed by the time Burress’ fate becomes fact. Surely the Giants had prepared for this and will act accordingly.
There have been Braylon Edwards rumors circulating, but I wonder why the Browns would deal him after already trading their other blue chip receiver, Kellen Winslow Jr. Are the Browns going into complete rebuild mode? Edwards is intriguing because he is the closest thing to a Plax clone out there. He’s got size, commands a double team, and can make catches despite being covered. But he has led the league in drops the last two years. If you were going to make a case for Edwards, it’s that a change of scenery could do him good. Edwards would be a free agent in 2010 so making a trade would require you sign him first, and the Giants are not in a position to give Edwards a decent contract considering their cap number. Edwards would be hitting his first free agency and want to cash in. An Eli Manning extension could, however, buy the Giants some more cap room this year. Rumors had the Giants giving draft choices and a player, but I hope the dangling of Dominik Hixon was untrue as I have high hopes for him as a key contributor in both the passing and return game.
Boldin is in the news it seems every other week, but I contend the Cards won’t deal him. That’s unless of course you consider the rumor of the Giants offering this year’s one and three, and next year’s number one as bait. That rumor was complete crap. Boldin hasn’t played a full season in the last four years and plays the game in too physical a way that, IMO, will shorten his career. On top of all that, the number one reason Boldin wants out is, surprise, money!! Succumbing to Boldin would mean making him one of the top three paid wideouts in the league, and as I said, his injury history to me says it’s not worth it.
I still feel the very best option, sans Plax, is getting Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs. He’d be less costly in terms of trade value than either Edwards or Boldin, and would give the Giants that unique look of two TE’s I have been talking about for over a year now. And you could still draft a WR prospect and hope for Manningham to step up this year, resulting in a “by committee” effort at wide reciever. Alas, salary cap issues could come into play here too with Gonzo’s contract.
So what will Reese do? The good thing is the Giants as a team right now will do two things very well: run the ball and play defense. That wins football games. They’ve got plenty of draft picks, now five in the first three rounds after getting a comp pick for Gibril Wilson. I suspect that drafting is the route they are going to take.
