Giants' Umenyiora gets work in, leaves to have knee examined

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora is showing some signs that he might be ready to practice with the New York Giants.

For the first time in almost a week, Umenyiora worked with team trainers at practice Wednesday, simulating snap counts. The 29-year-old, who hasn't practiced since reporting to training camp a day late on July 30, got down in his stance and made pass-rushing moves during his session.

Umenyiora looked explosive coming off the ball during the roughly 5-to-10 minute workout, showing no signs that his left knee was bothering him.

The nine-year veteran is upset the Giants have not reworked his contract, which will pay him $7.1 million over its final two years. He alleged that general manager Jerry Reese said after last season that the team would rework the contract. The former Troy product had 11.5 sacks last season and a league-high 10 forced fumbles.

After the workout, Umenyiora walked into the team's indoor practice facility for a couple of minutes and then came out and sat on a stationary bike while teammates practiced.

Roughly 40 minutes into the team's practice, Umenyiora peeled off his No. 72 jersey and walked off the field into the Giants' headquarters. He told NFL Network's Scott Hanson he was headed for a flight to Atlanta to have the knee examined.

A person familiar with Umenyiora’s status told The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) he is dealing with a meniscus cartilage issue that could require surgery. The person requested anonymity because the extent of the injury has not been made public.

Umenyiora didn't immediately return an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Coach Tom Coughlin sounded optimistic that Umenyiora might practice soon.

"I hope we get some closure on that chapter and start on the new one," he said, adding that he has talked to Umenyiora frequently, encouraged him and told him to try to get on the field as soon as possible.

Coughlin reiterated that Umenyiora had issues with his hip last season and not his knee.

"I am thinking that whatever is in the best interest of our team right now, that's the only thing I've thought about," Coughlin said. "We will manage whatever we have to manage. We've done it. Like I said, the hip -- we couldn't practice both Wednesday and Thursday (last season) so we practiced one day under those circumstances. So if there's an issue here, we'll find a way to work with the issue. We'll find a way to get the player in the best position he could be in on Sunday."

Fellow defensive end Justin Tuck felt that Umenyiora's trip to Atlanta could be seen as a sign of progress in the dispute.

"It's movement," Tuck said, adding just as quickly that no one really knows when the situation will be resolved.

Guard David Diehl said that while teammates want Umenyiora to practice, they also understand the business side of the problem.

"He's got his own thing going on," Diehl said. "The only thing you can focus on are the guys that are playing and all we've been doing, making sure we are making progress."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Agent: Umenyiora will fly to Atlanta to see specialist

The agent for disgruntled New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said Tuesday that Umenyiora will travel to Atlanta in the next few days to get a second opinion on his knee, which has kept him from participating in the team's recent practices.

"We won't do anything without conferring with the Giants medical staff first," Tony Agnone told the Star-Ledger. "We're just looking for a way to get him back on the field soon."

Umenyiora's planned trip to Atlanta to see a specialist is the latest chapter in what has been an eventful offseason for the Giants' defensive star. Unhappy with his contract, Umenyiora was initially a holdout as the team opened training camp. The Giants front office gave Agnone permission to seek a trade, but the agent's asking price of a first-round pick, and Umenyiora's desire for a restructured deal, didn't attract any takers. After one missed practice, Umenyiora returned, but has been limited to riding a stationary bike.

Umenyiora missed the entire 2008 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The same knee has been an issue this summer.

Giants team doctors have already examined Umenyiora, and seem to think he can manage the knee with rest and still participate in practice, according to the New York Post.

A person familiar with Umenyiora’s status told the Star-Ledger he is dealing with a meniscus cartilage issue that could require surgery. The person requested anonymity because the extent of the injury has not been made public.

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Agent says 21 teams interested in Giants DE Umenyiora

Osi Umenyiora's agent is finding plenty of NFL teams interested in trading for the star defensive end, but so far, none of them appear willing to pay the New York Giants' asking price.

"Just trying to convince them to give up that elusive first-round pick," Tony Agnone told the New York Post on Tuesday. "Still working on it."

Osi Umenyiora is coming off a season in which he had 11.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles. NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks looks at five teams that could be suitors for his services. More...

Agnone told the newspaper that he has received inquiries from 21 teams. The New York Daily News reported Monday that the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks have shown interest either to the Giants or to Agnone. But the combination of the Giants' asking price -- a first-round pick -- and Umenyiora's desire to earn more money is making a deal difficult.

The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that the Giants have dropped their demand for a first-round pick and would be willing to accept a second-round pick. The newspaper cited a league source in reporting that the Ravens and the New England Patriots are interested in Umenyiora.

Umenyiora, 29, wants to rework a contract that will pay him $7 million over the next two seasons, with $3.1 million due this season. He led the Giants with 11.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles in 2010, and he has grown increasingly frustrated with the criticism he's receiving over the situation.

The Giants gave Agnone a limited time to make a deal, and that deadline is drawing near.

"It's not going to be long now," he said.

After holding out of training camp the first day, Umenyiora reported the next three but didn't participate in practice.

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Tweet this: Tuck criticizes McCoy for online stab at Umenyiora

LeSean McCoy might regret his twit-icism of Osi Umenyiora. The New York Giants certainly seem unlikely to forget about it when they see McCoy and his Philadelphia Eagles this season.

Justin Tuck became the latest Giant to defend his teammate, saying the team will take McCoy calling Umenyiora "soft" personally when they play Sept. 25 and Nov. 20 and adding that Twitter "has made people cowards."

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some of the worst, too.
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"Two things: One, yes we will take that personally, and two, he might want to watch some film before he starts talking about a defensive end of Osi's quality," Tuck said Wednesday on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning," according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. "I don't know where he would say something of that nature because honestly I think Osi's stats back up the fact that he is a pretty good NFL football player."

Umenyiora's stats are pretty good. He posted 11.5 sacks last season and has 60 in his career. He also has been selected to two Pro Bowls, after the 2005 and 2007 seasons.

McCoy started the feud June 16 when he responded to a story about Umenyiora wanting a new contract by tweeting: "Overrated n soft 3rd best d-line on his team honestly." That didn't sit well with Umenyiora, who called McCoy names, including a Chihuahua, a poodle, a little girl, a Twitter gangster, Lady Gaga and a woman, according to Philly.com. Giants wide receiver Steve Smith rushed to his teammate's defense by noting that his team has won a Super Bowl and the Eagles have not.

Tuck's biggest issue with the whole situation is that McCoy used Twitter to criticize Umenyiora.

"I honestly think social media makes people cowards," Tuck said. "Where I'm from, if you have a problem with somebody, you say it to their face, and that was it. I think now people are hiding behind computers and smart phones to get out something that they got on their chest. ...

"I don't know what's gotten into these young guys, but, I mean, it is what it is. I think Osi handled it the right way, and we'll handle it on the football field when we get an opportunity."

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Umenyiora unhappy with contract, but Giants still an option

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora might be unhappy with his contract, but he has not ruled out a return to the New York Giants.

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Thursday that Umenyiora gave a deposition as part of the Brady et al v. the National Football League et al case, claiming that Giants general manager Jerry Reese promised to either trade him or make him among the top five defensive ends in the league back in 2008, according to sources who have seen the affidavit.

In the statement, which was given under the penalty of perjury, Umenyiora details conversations with Reese, saying that he was promised that if he "was playing at a high level" over the following two seasons, he would be compensated among the best at his position or dealt to a team that would compensate him. Umenyiora's agent, Tony Agnone, was also deposed.

Umenyiora, 29, claims that Reese has failed to make good on his word.

As one of the plaintiffs in the Brady case, he provided the statements to NFL Players Association lawyers to show the kind of "irreparable" harm being done to players by the lockout.

Despite the drama, Umenyiora told The New York Times on Friday that he would "absolutely" be willing to return to the Giants.

"I love my teammates," Umenyiora said. "The owners of the team, Mr. (John) Mara and Mr. (Steve) Tisch, I'm really cool with both of them. They came to the hospital when I was injured. They're wonderful people. I don't have a beef with them per se. At the end of the day, they're going to have to make the best decision for them.

"If they renegotiate my deal, I have to be on the field, and I have to perform. To play all those guys is going to be very, very difficult. For everyone to get their chance to showcase their skills, it’s going to be difficult to do that."

Said Umenyiora: "Any time you mention my name, it seems as if it’s just a firestorm of negativity, and Osi doing this and Osi doing that. Nobody in that organization or on that team can tell you I’m a disruption or a negative person or I’m perceived in such a way, because they’d be lying."

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy came out of the woodwork Thursday to respond to Umenyiora's situation via Twitter, calling the defender "overrated n soft" and the "3rd best d-line on his team honestly."

Umenyiora fired back, telling The Times: "That little Chihuahua or poodle in the backfield. He doesn't have to block me. ... If you have something to say, say it man to man. You can't be a Twitter gangster. That's easy to do, trying to be a tough guy. Say it to my face, and we'll see what happens."

Umenyiora also spoke to The Star-Ledger on Friday and referred to McCoy as "Lady Gaga."

"I mean, he’s a girl, man. Who does stuff like that?" Umenyiora said. "If he has more of these things to say, he can say 'em to my face."

Umenyiora went on to describe his contentious relationship with McCoy.

"Yeah, me and him, we had words on the field -- both times we played. I hate him, he hates me, period. He chose to take that off the field and make it public when it's something that's between me and him. It’s something we can address on the football field. He let the whole world know about it, so I’m going to respond."

Said Umenyiora of past entanglements: "Oh, he said all kinds of stuff. He called me an 'African (expletive).' It was bad. It was pretty intense between me and him. I said a couple of things to him."

If Umenyiora ends up with another club, it will pull him out of a Giants-Eagles rivalry he labeled "rough," but he said he'll find his way back to McCoy one way or another.

"I’ll see him somewhere for sure. It’s going to continue, man. There's going to be no going back from this one because I feel he crossed the line."

Giants wideout Steve Smith joined the fray Friday, tweeting: "The nerve of certain youngins running their mouth." 

Smith's message included a photo montage of the Giants celebrating their Super Bowl XLII victory next to an empty Eagles trophy case.

"Eagles have a great team as do we," Smith continued. "They've had our number lately but until you win something major I don't wanna hear it."

Umenyiora, a seven-year veteran, has been unhappy for quite some time with the contract extension he signed in 2005. The collective bargaining agreement signed in 2006 prompted increased spending around the league, and other defensive linemen quickly eclipsed the $31 million deal, averaging $5.5 million a season, that he had signed.

With two years left on his contact, he can earn $3.875 million in salary and bonuses in 2011, and $4.725 million in salary and bonuses in 2012, far below others with similar career production.

Umenyiora's monster season in 2007 -- in which he posted 13 sacks and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl -- spurred the meeting with Reese that was covered in the affidavit. A league source, however, pointed out that there could conceivably have been some miscommunication, that Reese might have been talking about possibly exploring a trade or new contract down the road without directly promising to do so.

In the two years Umenyiora was to perform at a high level, he did not do so -- he spent 2008 on injured reserve with a knee injury and lost his starting spot and became a situational player in 2009 while clashing with the coaching staff. La Canfora reports that his trade value was low, based on injury concerns and the fact he was coming off just a seven-sack season in 2009, at the time Reese was to have had to make good on his "promise," as per the statements from the affidavit.

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