Update On NFL Free Agency: Giants Edition

We just talked a little about MLB Free Agency so I figured I'd switch over to the NFL and just throw in a couple of New York Football Giants rumors I've heard out there....

 

First, how the heck do the Redskins sign a ton of high-priced free agents and stay under the NFL salary cap? Also, did Dan Snyder not hear about this recession? Just asking. Not that the 'Skins free agents have worked out in the least this past decade, but this one seems OK and eventually it has to work, right? I guess Washington is planning for the uncapped year when the CBA runs out in a few years...

 

Ok, on to the G-men. Peter King has these two rumors about the Giants:

• The Giants were hot on the trail of Atlanta linebacker Michael Boley, and one source said the Giants were prepared to make Boley a $5-million-a-year player. He's a strongside linebacker with 52 starts in his four NFL seasons.

• St. Louis...coach Steve Spagnuolo is set to host his former strong safety with the Giants, James Butler, on a Friday visit, along with a rising star of this free-agency crop -- 25-year-old center Jason Brown, formerly of the Ravens.

Both of those could be important for the Giants. Boley would be a nice addition at linebacker and now seems to be their #1 target now that it looks like Housh is going back to Cincinnati. The loss of Butler would leave the Giants a little thin at experience at safety and could force them to look at a guy like Minnesota's Darren Sharper.

There are conflicting reports about whether the Giants are in at all on Derrick Ward. True Blue says that Brandon Jacobs called and tried to convince him and that they can fit him under the cap, while The Blue Screen says that it's down to the Bengals, Bucs and Lions.

Giants Journal says that Rocky Bernard (to go into the DT rotation) or Antonio Smith (to drop two DEs) will be guy who will drop in for a visit. While The Blue Screen adds Cowboys DE Chris Canty to that list.

No Wide Receivers on that list. Does that mean that Big Blue has stopped pursuing wideouts, I don't know. But in this report of the whole free agent class, Ralph Vacchiano thinks that wideouts T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Washington are heading elsewhere. So maybe the Giants will find someone in the draft or go a different route to fill Plax's open spot.

Crazy start so far to free agency in the NFL.