While the Eagles were losing their best defensive player in Brian Dawkins, the Cowboys were busy signing another aging veteran (Keith Brooking) and trading for all world backup Jon Kitna, and  the Redskins went ahead and signed Albert Hayneworth to the most bloated contract of the year, one that he will never live up to.  I really enjoyed watching the follies of these teams as the NFL offseason took off last Friday.

The NFC East Champion New York Football Giants on the other hand, made the wisest and biggest splash of the Free Agent signing period.TJ Houshmandzadeh has had a very nice career in Cincy, but he is no Plaxico Burress.  He is not going to impact a game like Plaxico can. He is not going to command a double team, and cause opposing defenses to not roll a safety into the box.  TJ is the best wide receiver available on the FA market, but not worth signing.   The Giants knew they would be wasting money on him or any other WR available.

Besides Burress touchdown catch, and Tyree’s helmet grab, what really won the Super Bowl against the Patriots?  The incredible pass-rush of the Giants.  The rotation of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora smackingTom Brady in the mouth, it was pressure that Brady and New England had not seen all year.

There is no reason to doubt the direction that Jerry Reese wanted to go with his off-season signings.  The first thing Reese wanted to accomplish was to sign an athletic OLB, and he did so by signing Michael Boley.  While with the Falcons, Boley played the SAM position, being count on more in coverage.  The Giants plan on utilitzing his speed at the WIL, and incorporating him in their complex blitz packages.  This was the first long term contract Reese has given out to a linebacker since he took over from Ernie Accorsi 3 years ago.
Before the ink even dried up on Boley’s contract, Reese was busy hammering out details with former Seattle Seahawks DT Rocky Bernard.  Bernard has been one of the better interior lineman of the last 7 seasons while in Seattle, and figures to be part of the rotation with Fred Robbins and Barry Coefield.  Robbins and Coefield are two of the better DT tandems in the league, but last year they both were limited due to injuries and lack of depth at their position.  This will allow for a healthy rotation all season long and keep all the players fresh as they get into the later months.

Two signings to bolster your defense would seem like a very successful weekend, but then Reese went ahead and signed the uber-talent Chris Canty. Canty played DE in the Cowboys 3-4 defense the last few years, and will be asked to play both DE and DT while with the Giants.  This final signing will give the G-Men one of the most ferocious pass-rushes in the entire NFL. I know what you are wondering; didn’t the Giants already have one of the best defensive lines in all of football? Yes, they did. However, with the retirement of Michael Strahan and the injury last season to Osi Umenyiora, the line lacked the depth that it had in their Super Bowl winning season.  Both Mathias Kiwanuka and Justin Tuck wore down as the season went on, because they were playing 70 snaps a game, as opposed to the 45 the Giants want them to play.  Canty will figure into the DE rotation, along with the return of Umenyiora, which kinda makes it look like the Giant signed 4 d-linemen in one weekend.

There was no team that improved its chances at winning the Super Bowl more than the New York Football Giants over the weekend.  Once again, Reese didn’t listen to the talking heads and the New York media that demanded that the Giants find a replacement for Plaxico Burress.  As my buddy Roman War Helmet always tells me, “you cannot teach 6′4″. “  So why bother trying to sign something that doesn’t exist?

All Jerry Reese has done since taking over the Giants GM job is orchestrate the greatest draft class in history in 2007.  One that helped the Giants win the Super Bowl.  The Giants then won the NFC East in 2008, with big help from players that helped fill-in for injured or retired players.  Now he has put together the best off-season of any team so far.  What is really going to make him look like a genius is when Plax gets slapped on the wrist for his gun charge in NYC and he is back playing as Eli Manning’s favorite target.

It is really only March 2nd?

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