http://www.prosportsdaily.com/comments/new-york-giants-sign-wr-derek-hagan-184208.html

New York Giants sign WR Derek Hagan
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December 16
Newark Star-Ledger


"After Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, Giants coach Tom Coughlin was asked if there are enough weapons on offense without Plaxico Burress.

"There's got to be," Coughlin said. "This is our team."

Well, their team added another potential weapon today. The Giants have signed former Dolphins wide receiver Derek Hagan, according to someone familiar with Hagan's signing who requested anonymity because the team hasn't announced the move yet.

Hagan, the Dolphins' third-round pick in 2006, worked out for the Giants last week. The 24-year-old, who had 53 catches for 645 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons with Miami, had been a free agent since the Dolphins cut him early last month.

The 6-2, 215-pound Hagan came out of Arizona State with a reputation as a solid route runner with decent speed. The problem during his time with Miami was his hands, as he dropped several passes. Hagan played the split end - or "X" receiver - position with the Dolphins, so perhaps that's where the Giants envision him playing. That's where Burress played and is now where Domenik Hixon most often lines up."

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/comments/jacobs-im-playing-184213.html

Jacobs: 'I'm playing'
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December 16
New York Daily News


"Brandon Jacobs said today he will be playing in the Giants’ NFC showdown against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night.

In fact, he added, he could’ve played last Sunday night, too.

Jacobs, who sat out the Giants’ loss in Dallas with an injured left knee, said all that this morning, while backstage at an event in Columbus High School in the Bronx. According to Blue Screen correspondant Matt Gagne, Jacobs was talking to a group of teachers when he was asked if he’d be OK for the game.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m playing this weekend. I should have played last week, but with playoffs coming up, you know …”

Though Tom Coughlin had said Jacobs wasn’t healthy enough to play in the Giants’ 20-8 loss to the Cowboys, the Giants were also being cautious with their No. 1 back. Jacobs had said a week of rest would help his knee, and the Giants wanted him healthy for the Panthers game and for the playoffs.

On Monday, Coughlin said he wasn’t sure if Jacobs would be able to practice tomorrow."

Hagan was a pretty high draft pick for the Dolphins I believe. Things never really worked out for him there, could be an interest pickup since he's got a load of talent.

Smart move by Reese.

Corey Webster needs to step up this week. Carolina has a great running games, which means the Giants will need to play eight to slow that rush down. Corey Webster will have to cover Steve Smith one on one at some point. Guess we'll find out if Webster was worth that fat extension.

btw, Giants are not signing Horn.

Neck and neck with Carolina. Panthers miss a game winning field goal and Giants win the toss going into overtime!

Wow, that was awesome. Great game.

Now the road to the SuperBowl goes through the Meadowlands.

Giants running game is back.

Classic game of smashmouth football! gotta love the heart in this team coming back from 11 points behind to win that game in OT... Derrick Ward is the best backup RB in the game.

I'm still frozen from going to the game Sunday. I'm glad I can relax this week and watch a virtually meaningless game at home...

sucks that we can't hold onto both these guys, but that's how it goes in the NFL... hopefully they can collect 1 more SB ring together before 1 of them has to sign someplace else.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/comments/giants-brandon-jacobs-derrick-ward-on-verge-of-free-agency-186586.html

Giants' Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward on verge of free agency
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December 24
New York Daily News


"They spent 25 minutes on the phone the other night talking about how they could be just the fourth set of running backs in NFL history to each rush for 1,000 yards for the same team in the same season.

And Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward should savor every moment. Because as teammates, that accomplishment might be the last thing they do.

With every yard they rack up - and so far it's 2,037 - their price tags go up. Both are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after the season, and while the Giants will likely re-sign one of them, it's hard to believe they'll have the money for both.

"Yeah, that's definitely going to hurt," Jacobs said Tuesday. "I talked to (Ward) about that. Every time for the last two years I've been asking him 'What kind of money are you looking for?' it's been going up every day. I laugh at it every time he tells me."

Actually, as thrilled as the 26-year-old Jacobs is that the 28-year-old Ward is finally getting some overdue recognition, he isn't laughing at the potential loss of a teammate he says is "like a brother." But with Ward just 52 yards away from reaching 1,000 - something only 12 other running backs in the NFL have done so far this season - the reality is he'll be a very attractive free agent.

And with Jacobs likely to command a long-term extension this offseason worth at least $7 million per season, the Giants might not have much left to match what Ward will find on the open market.

"He deserves it," Jacobs said. "It's going to be tough, as an organization, to make a decision on us. It's going to be tough to part, if that's what we have to do. I love him like a brother and I wish we could still be around each other next season."

It's safe to say the Giants want them both around. Jacobs (1,089 yards) and Ward (948) have powered the "Earth, Wind and Fire" backfield (which includes Ahmad Bradshaw's 327 yards) to the tune of 158.9 yards per game this season, the No. 1 average in the NFL. On Sunday night against Carolina, they combined for 301 yards in Jacobs' return to the lineup. His presence cleared room for Ward to rush for a career-high 215.

Together, they are a huge reason why the Giants have one of the NFL's top offenses, and why they're the NFC favorites to get back to the Super Bowl this year. Separately - as Ward showed when he struggled without Jacobs in the lineup - they just aren't the same.

How much the Giants will pay to keep that mixture together in 2009 isn't clear, especially with Bradshaw waiting in the wings. The going rate for top running backs is somewhere between the $6.4 million per year the Dallas Cowboys gave Marion Barber (seven years, $45 million, $16 million guaranteed) and the nearly $10 million per year the St. Louis Rams gave Steven Jackson (five years, $49.3 million, $21 million guaranteed)."

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/comments/giants-brandon-jacobs-derrick-ward-near-history-186516.html

Giants' Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward near history
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December 23
New York Daily News


"Brandon Jacobs wasn't thrilled that he only rushed for 87 yards in his return from a knee injury on Sunday night. But he was smiling when he heard Derrick Ward finished with 215.

"That's why we're teammates, baby," Jacobs said.

Thanks to the 215 yards Ward gained in the Giants' 34-28 overtime win over Carolina Sunday night, the Giants are on the verge of becoming just the fourth team in NFL history - and the first in 23 years - to have two running backs top 1,000 yards in the same season. Jacobs already has 1,089 this season. Ward's total is at 948, meaning he needs 52 in Minnesota on Sunday.

"I think they are the best tandem in the NFL right now," said defensive end Justin Tuck.

The last running back duo to top 1,000 yards rushing in one season was Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, who did it with the Cleveland Browns in 1985. The 1972 Miami Dolphins (Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris) and 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers (Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier) were the only other teams to accomplish the feat, though running back Warrick Dunn and quarterback Michael Vick each broke the 1,000 mark for the 2006 Atlanta Falcons."