If Blauber can weigh in on Shockey...
Then so can I. We'll have a web story and one in the paper on the Shockey subject, and here's the key part for now: Jerry Reese emailed me this response to a question about whether the Giants are shopping Shockey:
"He is our starting tight end."
I'd say that stands pretty well. Shockey is still a valuable player, especially as a blocker -- I think Kevin Gilbride could be pretty excited about the two-TE sets with Shockey and Kevin Boss for next season, especially since Boss has proven to be a very good pass-catcher and an improving blocker. Could be some very good decoy plays run out of those sets.
Shockey's salary is manageable, the whole experience of being apart from the team during this championship run could make him more manageable as a person and he's still a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
Will he show up for offseason activities? I doubt it, if only because he won't be healthy enough to do much participation. And, frankly, the balance of power has shifted. Shockey should be calling Eli now and asking what Eli wants to do, not the other way around.
We'll see what happens there.
Now, back to the congressional drama... I'd really like to hear more about Roger Clemens' butt.
E-mail
Facebook
Digg
Delicious
Comments (16)
Thankfully, it looks like logic will prevail. You don't get rid of one of your better players.
He's a great player and a force on and off the field. But he needs to be there in some capacity in preseason to show that he still wants to play a role on this TEAM, and not just get the ball thrown to him to help him get to the Pro Bowl.
Even with health issues and rehab, he needs to show some kind of commitment.
Artie:
"He is our starting tight end" doesn't necessarily translate to "We will not trade him."
you like clemens but huh? I would expect that from the little bald fruitcake Mike G but not you my man....very gay
mcnamee - the lying drug pushing ex-cop, stool pidgeon.
C'mon, what else is he going to say? Looks like Reese is a guy we should have faith in. If he can make the team better by trading Shockey (which I believe is possible), great. Only way to do that is maximize his trade value, which translates to stating he's not on the block. If Reese can parlay that into significantly better draft day positions, looks like a smart move to me. I do believe the change in dynamic w/Shockey out was a contributing factor to the Superbowl run.
I used to blame Eli for all the mix-ups on passes thrown to Shockey. But now that I see what he can do with more crisp route-runners like Steve Smith and Amani Toomer, it is becoming more apparent that it was probably Shockey and not Eli causing the misreads.
I don't care what Jerry Reese says; he is veiling his hand and would entertain the right deal for him come draft day. I would like Shockey to come back; however, it is fair to say that he is overrated given his production, win-loss record and injury status as of late. So if the right deal presents itself, then do it. A top-notch starting o-lineman would be more valuable to the Giants' run-blocking machine than Shockey.
I know, I know, we haven't used Shockey right on pass plays. He's the kind of guy you need to get the ball while he's moving upfield with a head of steam, NOT catching an 8-yard pass with his back to the ball. But it cannot only be by coincidence that Eli finally started to mature and come into his own with Shockey shelved.
I agree with t-dips. I dont think its fair to expect Shockey to do a lot after the catch when he has to make catches with his back to the ball. That sounds like a pretty difficult task.
C'mon Mr. Staple - just as other readers have commented ""He is our starting tight end." means nothing. Of course he's out starting tight end, right now. Maybe not tomorrow. I thought I could expect more from someone who's been covering sports as long as you have.
saying the giants are better without shockey is moronic. the superbowl run had nothing to do with shockey being out, it had to do with the emergence of a third WR in steve smith, gilbride finally realizing the running game was the best part of the offense and Eli is there just to compliment it (not to throw 50+ passes a game), and the defensive front becoming an unstoppable force. sure shockey was a bit of a pain in the a$$ sometimes but i think this will finally humble him a little. A great run-blocking TE with speed and good hands is the guy you hope trade for, not get rid of. Too few of them in the league.
Shockey and our 1st round pick to move higher up the board, especially if you get to the 12 or 16th pick and Keith Rivers or Dan Connor are still on the board. Keith Rivers=The second coming of LT. They call him The Shark just like LT's character in the movie Any Given Sunday.
I seriously doubt Shockey will be moved by the time the draft rolls around. 2008 will be his last chance to prove he can perform at a high level on the field and at the same time, keep his trap shut and do what he's told off it. I honestly believe this offense is still better with Shockey than w/o him. But the '08 season will be the deciding factor in Shockey's future with the Giants. Period.
Shockey is our tight end.
Stop trying to read between the lines because there are no lines. Jeremy Shockey is coming back. Why? He's a great tight end and Boss is a mediocre tight end.
And regarding those "crisp routes" with Toomer and Smith, it might have had more to do with Eli's getting hot in the post-season than Shockey's not being there. Eli's rating last year was in the 70's. He was not among the elite. So we better hedge our bets for next year and keep our really good receveir/blocker on thje roster just in case the old sucky Eli re-emerges.
Eli didn't win the Super Bowl. The D did, along with some help from the football God.
.
As has happened so many times this season, the defense kept the Giants in the game, but Eli Manning won the game.
Main key for a successful GM is patience. Don't telegraph moves and concerns. Don't rush decisions. Reese is playing this right.
Shockey's attitude has been a problem. But his play (when healthy) has been superb. Some fans are over critical because he's the focal point type. And when he "only" catches 3 or 5 passes a game for 50 yards and scores 5 TDs a year they become disappointed. But he is playing within a team scheme. Catch a few. Block like a maniac. Win the game.
Shockey's salary is manageable and if he isn't a negative factor on the field or in the locker room then he should stay. A trade may only gather a 2nd or 3rd rounder and it's a crap shoot. With him we have the best TE combo in the game.
But he should be kept on a short leash. If his "Me" attitude surfaces and it becomes a problem I'd trade him for a 4th rounder just to get rid of him.
The problem with Shcokey is not Shockey, it's how Giants use the TE position in their offense. He has been used as a classic, old-school, prototypical block-first TE. He has made himself into a good blocker, but this does not optimize his talents. He should be running down the field more and catching the ball on the mvoe, rather than running curls and short balls in traffic.
If we continue to use the TE position this way, Boss migth be a better fit. He is not better than Shockey, but he is a good player on the rise. Would you rather have two productive TEs and a weak S, or one good TE on the rise and a very good S? If we can getting a real good player for Shockey I would cosnider moving him. But don't move him just for the ske of getting him off the team.