Chad Jones Suffers Serious Leg Injuries in Car Wreck

We try and be good humored around here, but nothing funny to say today.  Giants' rookie safety Chad Jones is in critical condition after crashing his SUV in New Orleans early this morning.  He is currently listed as being in critical condition and doctors are trying to save his left foot after he suffered multiple fractures to his left leg, including shattering both his tibia and fibula.  There is apparently extensive artery and nerve damage as a result.  I suggest all of you check the various news websites for updates on his condition.  I probably shouldn't speculate on such a matter, but from the sound of things, his injuries do not appear to be immediately life threatening, but his career may very well be over.  Unbelievably sad when you think about the fact that this kid just signed a multi-year deal with an NFL team, and it's all gone up in smoke.

----Update----

Jones is out of surgery and recovering.  It looks like he will, generally speaking be OK, but his career is still in question.  Obviously, no one knows what the future holds for Jones, but even assuming the doctors were completely successful in fixing the blood-flow issue, his fibula and tibia were reportedly shattered.  If Jones needs hope, he can find it in teammate Rich Seubert.  Seubert also shattered both the bones in his lower leg and was able to make a comeback.  Of course, it took him 2 years and he is a guard not a safety that relies on speed and agility.  Jones is also a hell of a baseball player, and was actually drafted by the Houston Astros after he was drafted by the Giants.  He probably won't be playing anything for a long while, but given the demands on the body, I'd think Jones may have a better shot at a baseball career than one in football at this point.....

Update: Ross Leading Candidate to Return Punts

I speculated that Aaron Ross might be the best option to return punts with Domenik Hixon now out for the year.  Not suprisingly, I was right again.  Ralph Vacchiano has reported that Ross is, in fact, the leading candidate to replace Hixon and has gotten the majority of the reps in his absence.  Obviously, it will still be an interesting competition through the summer and into pre-season, with Mario Manningham figuring to get a good look.  Keep an eye on rookie S Chad Jones as a dark horse candidate as well.  As far as kickoff's, Bradshaw is experienced and probably the most likely candidate, but he needs to get healthy first.  Sinorice Moss will also get a chance--and fail--along with RB's DJ Ware and Andre Brown.  I would think Jones will get a look here as well.

Hixon Out For 2010 Season with Torn ACL

In what seems like a yearly occurrence, the Giants have lost a player for the season before training camp even begins.  Wide receiver and, more importantly, return specialist Dominik Hixon tore his ACL on the turf at the New Meadowlands Stadium during practice Tuesday.  The injury was thought to be only a strain at first, but tests Wednesday revealed the real damage.  The Giants seemingly have the depth at WR to replace Hixon, but it is in the return game that he will be missed. GM Jerry Reese said of replacing Hixon, “We have kick returners.  My concern would be as a punt returner.”  I'm not sure who Reese is thinking will return kick-offs, but I think his point is kick returners are a dime a dozen.  Punt returning is more of an art.  Reese mentioned Mario Manningham and Aaron Ross as potential replacements.  Antrel Rolle and Sinorice Moss (ok, stop laughing) are also options.  The Giants may be reluctant to take a risk with Rolle, Manningham will undoubtedly do something stupid--like call for a fair catch at the 2 yard line--and Moss is, generally speaking, an awful football player.  .  Ross is an intriguing option if he can stay healthy.  Remember, there is a good chance he will be relegated to nickel back with Terrell Thomas taking his starting job.  If that's the case, it seems you could take a  chance with him back there.  In any event, Moss may be the only one happy about this injury as the loss of Hixon increases his chances of making the roster (he's gone from no f'ing chance to slight f'ing chance).

It's concerning that this injury occurred the first time the players set foot on the field turf at the new stadium.  Quite a few players commented that the turf was too soft, probably the result of the rubber not yet being pressed down (i.e. broken in) yet.   I'll leave the natural grass/field turf debate alone, and just say that hopefully this is not a sign of things to come.

Hixon will be missed.  He's been a playmaker since he got here, and he will not be easily replaced.  Sadly, I'm not sure if we'll see him in a Giants uniform again.  If I were in charge, I'd welcome this guy back anytime, but you know how it goes in the NFL.  Get well soon Hix.

Position Preview: Safety (It’s All About the Knee)

Let’s face it, this position is all about 1 player.  Every Giants fan now knows what microfracture surgery is, a tidbit of knowledge I’m sure many wish they didn’t have to learn about, at least not this way.  But without a doubt, the first thing we need to talk about when it comes to the Giants' safeties is Kenny Phillips, more specifically, his knee.  The term “cautiously optimistic” has become the hackneyed mantra of the Giants’ brass when asked about Phillips.  Phillips himself has generally been less cautious in his optimism, but let’s face, when was the last time you heard a young player say “yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ll never be the same.”  He has been limited to running along the sideline during OTA’s, but at least he’s running.  I don't think anyone can really predict what will happen, so I won't try.  I doubt we’ll really know until the season starts if Phillips is going to be OK, and even then his long term health remains a mystery.

The Giants deserve credit for how they’ve handled the situation at least.  They’ve gone out and signed 2 veteran free agents in Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant, and used a 3rd round pick on Chad Jones.  Some have overreacted to these signings by suggesting they mean that the Giants don’t believe Phillips will be back, but the Giants have just simply (and smartly) hedged their bets.  After last year, it was clear that they needed another safety (or two) regardless of Phillips’ health.  Rolle was a great signing, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  The team also released CC Brown and Aaron Rouse (addition by subtraction).  They also retained veteran Michael Johnson (more on him later).  Best case scenario, Phillips returns and starts alongside Roll.  They have a smart veteran back-up in Grant (and/or Johnson), and a young player who can learn from the veterans and slowly develop.  Worse case scenario, Phillips can’t make the return, or suffers a set-back, Grant becomes the stop-gap option this year along side Rolle, and Jones becomes the teams safety of the future.  Most likely, Phillips will be back, but will need to rest those knees now and again.  Either way they now have 4 safeties who they likely will feel comfortable putting on the field this year, which is 4 more than they had last year once Phillips went down.

The question is how many safeties will the Giants carry on their active roster.  Rolle, Phillips (barring a set-back landing him on the IR), and Jones are obviously in.  Unless he’s got nothing left, I’m pretty sure you can count Grant in as well.  The Giants learned their lesson from a year ago when they only had 3 safeties on their roster.  That was simply horrific roster management when you consider that they knew that Phillips had some knee issues—but that’s for another rant.  If they only take 4, then veteran Michael Johnson could be on his way out.  Johnson’s poor play landed him in Jerry Reese’s doghouse, as the GM—who’s never been shy about calling out a player (see Manning 2007)—publicly criticized Johnson’s play last season.   The other 2 safeties on the roster are Sha’reff Rashad, who spent ’09 on the practice squad, and rookie free agent and fellow UCF product Michael Greco (NOTE:  The Giants’ roster online lists Seth Williams as a Safety from Cal-Poly, but this appears to be a mistake, as he was a corner at Richmond.  Whether or not the Giants are trying to convert him to a safety or not I don’t know, but considering they currently have his school wrong I’m leaving him out for now).  Greco is probably just hoping for a spot on the practice squad, so Rashad is Johnson’s only competition.  Well that and whether or not the Giants even have room for a 5th safety.  I think Johnson can play, he’s shown that before.  He's more of a cover guy (like Rolle), he gets lost in space when he's playing deep middle though.  From what I've heard, that's the opposite of what can be said about Grant and Jones.  So I expect the Giants to keep 5, Johnson to back up Rolle, and Grant and Jones to be behind Phillips.

It all comes back to that damn knee though doesn’t it? It’s interesting that Phillips, who has only 5 career starts, can be looked at as such an essential commodity.   He has shown tremendous play-making ability in his limited action, and it’s his potential that has fans and the Giants excited.  I hope and expect he’ll be back, whether or not he will ever be as good as he “could have been”, we’ll likely never know for sure.

In Case You Missed It

As I troll the web for Giants' news about as much as Google, I will try and occasionally highlight some of my findings.  Here's a few news and notes that have popped around the various sports news sites and blogs:

~ Mathias Kiwanuka and his brother, Benedict, were involved in a motorcycle accident over the weekend.  Fortunately, Benedict Kiwanuka is in stable condition and Mathias is apparently unharmed.  Obviously, the Giants can’t be thrilled about their starting (ok, “potential” starting) DE flying around on a crotch-rocket in his free time, but it remains unclear if the Giants will punish Kiwanuka in any way.  Reese said simply that they expect their players to be careful, and Coughlin declined comment until he had a chance to talk to Kiwanuka.

~ Former Giants’ MLB Antonio Pierce caused a stir by saying he believes that Coughlin is on the hot-seat.  In other news, Pierce is also a strong believer in gravity.  I mean really, it’s NY, the seat is always hot.

~ ESPN is back to trying to create news again with their NFC East Outsider Matt Moseley  (really though, this guy has about as much access as I do) suggesting that Ahmad Bradshaw should start over Brandon Jacobs—of course he should, but he won’t.

~ To no one’s surprise, Jonathan Goff has been taking the reps with the first team defense at MLB.  Interestingly though, during the media portion of practice at least, rookie Phillip Dillard was taking reps with the second team.  Wilkinson had been getting reps there at the start of the week.  Please take down the grain of salt now as pads are still almost 2 months away.

~ According to Jerry Reese, the players are loving Perry Fewell.  I guess, what the hell else would he say, but Fewell’s fiery style does seem to be striking the right chord.

~ Interesting note from my reading of the “GM” by Tom Callahan:  Tom Coughlin’s wife ultimately made the decision to draft Chris Snee.  The scouts had Snee rated very high, and as the Giant’s second round pick approached, Accorsi told Coughlin it looked like Snee would fall to them, but that he would let him make the decision.  Remember, Snee at this point was the father of Coughlin’s grandson, but not the husband of his daughter (I can only imagine how Coughlin reacted to that one).  Coughlin was understandably less than excited about drafting the guy who “knocked up” his daughter, so he called his wife and asked for her advice.  Mrs. Coughlin gave the ok, and they drafted Snee.  Snee was smart enough to marry Coughlin’s daughter, and has had a pro-bowl career as a result.