Giants’ Thomas excited
Terrell Thomas, attempting the difficult physical feat of returning to play defensive back in the NFL after two reconstructive knee surgeries in one year, says the Giants have “a great plan for me’’ when training camp opens up this weekend.
“We are going to start off slow, like counting my reps and going in that direction,’’ Thomas yesterday wrote on his website. “I feel like a big question mark on defense and I love it. That makes me feel like a rookie again. Nobody knows what to expect from me other than that I was a good player.’’
There’s no doubt the Giants do not know what to expect from Thomas, once a rising star after starting at cornerback in 2009 and 2010, amassing 10 interceptions. Coming off surgery to repair his right anterior cruciate ligament, Thomas didn’t make it through the first week of camp a year ago before reinjuring the knee, necessitating another reconstructive surgery — his third on the right knee dating back to his days at USC.
Thomas has missed backtoback seasons — he hasn’t been in a game since playing all 16 back in 2010 — and a successful return is being viewed as something akin to a bonus. If he responds, Thomas could fit as a third or fourth cornerback, or perhaps a move to safety would also work.
“Right now, to be honest with you, I feel great,’’ Thomas said. “I am not 100 percent. I would say I am 85 percent to 90 percent. The only thing missing is real field work, going against my teammates, the grind of practice and seeing how my knee handles all that.’’
Thomas said he has put himself through fourhour workouts, and there has been no swelling in his surgically repaired knee.
The Giants have two unsigned rookies — firstround pick Justin Pugh and fourthround pick Ryan Nassib. The strong expectation is both will be signed by the time players report Friday for training camp.
Pugh is serious about challenging for a starting job, and in order for him to do so, he needs to be on the field. The Giants expect Pugh, the 19th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft out of Syracuse, to immediately compete for the starting job at right tackle, a spot occupied by David Diehl, the longesttenured Giants player, entering his 11th season. Diehl has been a starter somewhere along the offensive line every year since arriving in 2003, and is a proud veteran who will be difficult to supplant.
The Giants traded up to select Nassib and he will engage in a training camp battle with returning veteran David Carr for the backup quarterback job. There’s a chance three quarterbacks will survive on the final roster, but coach Tom Coughlin prefers to keep only two, given Eli Manning’s incredible durability.