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Boley to Giants a done deal?


Robash
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Garafolo is the beat writer i follow the most for my Giants info...i think you can almost put this one in the books. Interesting tidbit on the intrest in Canty at DT also.

 

New York Giants close to 5-year deal with linebacker Michael Boley

by Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger

Friday February 27, 2009, 7:49 PM

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMichael Boley

 

For the first time in the Jerry Reese era, the Giants identified a free agent, brought him in for a visit on the first day they could talk to him and, as of tonight, were on the verge of signing him to a deal.

 

And they had three more players either here or on their way.

 

The player the team was close to signing is linebacker Michael Boley, a member of the Falcons for the first four years of his career. According to someone informed of the progress of negotiations, Boley was close to agreeing to terms on a five-year deal worth about $25 million with more than $10 million guaranteed. The person requested anonymity because both sides were still discussing minor terms of the contract.

 

Boley, 26, showed good playmaking ability early in his career after the Falcons took him in the fifth round of the 2005 Draft. In 2006-07 he had a combined 194 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions. But last season, under new coach Mike Smith, Boley struggled and lost his starting job late in the season. The Giants are hoping a change of scenery to a more aggressive scheme, and maybe the weak side after playing the strong side in Atlanta, will serve the 6-3, 230-pound Boley well.

 

Meanwhile, the Giants had defensive tackle Rocky Bernard in Friday for a visit that will continue Saturday. Bernard, who turns 30 in April, had 29 sacks in seven seasons with the Seahawks and hasn't had fewer than 3 1/2 sacks in a single season since 2003. It wasn't immediately clear how far along the Giants and Bernard's agent, Gary Uberstine, were in negotiations.

 

What was clear by noon Friday was the Giants had identified the defensive line as an area of need. In addition to Bernard, they set up a visit with Chris Canty, a defensive end in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme for the past seven seasons, Canty's agent confirmed. At 6-7, 304 pounds, Canty would surely slide to tackle in the Giants' 4-3 front. The Bronx native has 30 tackles and three sacks against the Giants in eight career games. According to the Dallas coaches' stats, Canty also had six quarterback pressures in those eight games.

 

Canty had a visit set up with the Redskins that was canceled once Washington signed defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, whom the Giants pursued until the bidding got out of hand. Canty has a visit scheduled for Monday with the Seahawks, but he postponed a scheduled trip to the Titans indefinitely.

 

The Giants are clearly looking for depth at tackle after watching how much penetration they lost when Fred Robbins was hampered by hand and shoulder problems late in the season. Robbins had 5 1/2 sacks in six games but was held sackless the rest of the season because of the injuries. Robbins and fellow starting tackle Barry Cofield have both recently undergone knee scopes.

 

The Giants are also looking for help at defensive end and have contacted the Cardinals' Antonio Smith, a free agent. Someone familiar with Smith's plans said he's expected to visit the team sometime soon.

 

As for the Giants' own free agents, running back Derrick Ward said Friday afternoon he would visit the Bengals this weekend. Cincinnati is trying to re-sign Cedric Benson, so Ward might be their backup plan. Safety James Butler visited the Rams and coach Steve Spagnuolo, while all was quiet on the Amani Toomer front. The veteran wide receiver does not have a visit set up yet, according to someone who spoke to Toomer recently.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/02...ts_finaliz.html

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  • 4 weeks later...

So what do the Huddle gurus think about Boley at WILB?

 

My first thought is it'll be tough fighting for tackles behind that D-line, but he still should post much better numbers than last season and should be a bit of an improvement over Danny Clark.

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So what do the Huddle gurus think about Boley at WILB?

 

My first thought is it'll be tough fighting for tackles behind that D-line, but he still should post much better numbers than last season and should be a bit of an improvement over Danny Clark.

Agree on all accounts. I had pegged Clark as a pretty deep sleeper (mainly for larger leagues). If that spot's manned by Boley, he'd be leaps and bounds better than Clark... and would represent a VERY STRONG sleeper - or not even pegged a sleeper at all - in all leagues.

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I can't recall any Giants LB not named Pierce in the top 50 in the last 4 or 5 years.

 

Pegging him as an LB4, LB3 at best.

 

Won't Boley be playing the SLB with Wilkinson at the WLB?

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Won't Boley be playing the SLB with Wilkinson at the WLB?

 

Boley played SLB in Atlanta but was undersized for the position. (6'3" 223 lbs). I had actually hoped that Atlanta would have tried him at WLB since in seemed like it would be a better fit than SLB.

 

By comparison, Gerris Wilkinson is 6'3" 231lbs and Antonio Pierce is 6'1" 238 lbs.

 

Pierce isn't going anywhere so I'm pencilling him in at Mike. Probably going to be a training camp decision but I think Boley is better served in an attacking role, hope he gets the nod at Will.

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Won't Boley be playing the SLB with Wilkinson at the WLB?

 

 

If Vick goes anywhere, it will be the new AFL.

 

Boley WILL be playing the WIL, Clark was the SAM all last year. Unless they draft Cushing I'd expect him to play the same position. Wilkinson Id bet money gets cut depending on how Goff and DeOssie look in training camp, he hasnt exactly lit it up since he has been with the GMen. But I cant see any situation where they dont draft a LB or two with 5 picks in the first 100. but with thier best player available mantra who knows what will happen.

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I don't know... Boley in NY just sounds like a good situation, both for their defense as a whole and anyone that owns him. LB4? I think I'd say more like LB3 or LB2 in somewhat larger leagues. We'll see how it pans out.

 

I think the issue with the Giants LBs from a fantasy perspective is their fricking behemoth defensive line sucks up all the tackles. Tuck was the #1 with Kiwi #12 last year DE wise, AP hasnt been over 200 points for the last two years and his numbers are declining, albiet he was banged up last year and had some Plaxicish type problems.

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I think the issue with the Giants LBs from a fantasy perspective is their fricking behemoth defensive line sucks up all the tackles. Tuck was the #1 with Kiwi #12 last year DE wise, AP hasnt been over 200 points for the last two years and his numbers are declining, albiet he was banged up last year and had some Plaxicish type problems.

Very true, and even their interior linemen had solid seasons from a fantasy perspective. I think the Boley move would drop Pierce down a notch to a very-low-level LB2 and perhaps even LB3. They'll be vulturing off whatever opportunities they get. Still, better than Clark. I think that's all I was really trying to convey.

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