The New York Giants opened a three-day minicamp Tuesday. PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

East Rutherford, NJ – The New York Giants opened mandatory veteran’s minicamp Tuesday, practicing in their new training facility across the way from Giants Stadium.

Big Blue held a morning session and later an afternoon practice under the watchful eye of the coaching staff. In between, the Giants addressed the media for the first time this season. Talented, healthy and deep, New York returns a roster that’s poised to get back to the Super Bowl, but like most teams has some glaring needs to address as training camp looms, none more dissected than the Giants decision to go young at wide receiver.

Can the Giants bring it all together again in 2009? Let’s go inside the locker room in this edition of Giants Insider.

Moss Catching On

The Giants believe Sinorice Moss can be the big game playmaker they’ve been searching for.

With no offseason acquisitions made in free agency or trades to bring in a more accomplished wide receiver to replace Plaxico Burress, Big Blue is confident Moss and a handful of other up-and-comers, including top draft pick Hakeem Nicks, can fill the void – one that was clearly evident in the stretch run last season and exposed come playoff time.

Moss looked all the part of a top-notch playmaker Tuesday morning in the Giants first day of minicamp practice in the team’s new field house. He had a great morning session, hauling in several perfectly-thrown passes from Eli Manning and continues to impress the Giants coaching staff.

 “I feel like I’m doing pretty well right now,” Moss said. “Every day that I step out on the field I feel I’m progressing. I work on different things and try to become better for myself – not only for the coaches but for myself, so I go home and have a good chance at laying my head down and going to sleep.

“I just wanted to come out and show the coaches like I have been doing each and every year that I’m here to help this team,” he added. “And that is what I was brought in for three years ago and I’m still here fighting each and every day to help this team and to go out there and to make plays.”

Moss has not produced as the Giants expected he would when they selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. In 29 games he has 38 receptions for 403 yards and two touchdowns. In 2008, he played in 10 games and caught 12 passes for 153 yards and two scores.

The Giants believe he is capable of much more. 

“We would like to see the full gamut of what he can do and then for Sinorice to just keep getting better,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “He has accepted that challenge and he has a great attitude about it. His confidence has to be buoyed by what he has done this spring.”

As many are aware, the Giants opted not to retain both of their starting receivers in Burress and Amani Toomer. They hope Moss and other returners such as Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham and rookies Nicks and Ramses Barden, both of whom were selected in the first three rounds of the draft, become popular targets for Eli Manning this season.

As a fourth-year pro, Moss is the elder statesman of that group. He said he’s ready for the challenge.   

“This year, by those guys not being here, it is wide open for anybody to step up and really make some plays and contribute to this team,” Moss said. “I feel like that is why we are here on this team – to contribute. It is our time to step up and win some games.” 

Evans Settles in

Maurice Evans may be the happiest Giant in minicamp.

The 6-2, 264-pound defensive end, who signed with Big Blue as an undrafted free agent, has found a home with the Giants.

“I’m here to learn,” the former Christ the King High standout said. “Justin Tuck has taken me under his wing. I’m proud of the situation I’m in right now. I can’t complain.

Once a standout pass rusher at Penn State, Evans’ college career took a detour his junior season after he was eighth in the nation with 12 ½ sacks as a sophomore in 2007. He was charged for possession of a small amount of marijuana, resulting in a three-game suspension.

Evans never regained his dominant sophomore form but decided nonetheless to enter the draft a year early. Seven rounds later, Evans was looking for a job.

Undrafted, the Giants came calling. He played well in the rookie camp last month and is off to a good start this week.

“It’s a work in progress,” Evans said. “I’m progressively coming along with the playbook. I’m having fun. This is what I wanted to do. I realized how challenging it would be, but I’m ready for this.”

Antonio Pierce has his eyes set on a return trip to the Super Bowl. PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

Pierce Ready to Turn the Page on ‘08

On paper the Giants return a team more than capable of getting back to the Super Bowl, but linebacker Antonio Pierce isn’t ready to anoint the Giants champs just yet.

He is ready, though, to say goodbye to last season. “Last season was a season we weren’t happy with, but what happened last year is in the past. We move on from here.”

Pierce, who police say drove Plaxico Burress to the hospital after the wide receiver accidently shot himself in a New York nightclub last November, was referring to his legal troubles, Burress and the Giants’ disappointing playoff loss to rival Philadelphia after winning the division.

“What happened last year is in the past,” Pierce said. “It’s good to be out there practicing again; good to be around the guys.”  

Asked about the positives he could take away from day one of minicamp, Pierce responded: “Gotta watch film first,” adding, “All three, the defense, the offense and special teams, have to come together. It’s a new family. We’ve brought in some new guys. We have a new coordinator and some new players to work in.”

Center Shaun O'Hara says the Giants have a greater appreciation for winning the Super Bowl after last season's disappointing playoff loss. PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

O’Hara Appreciates Super Bowl More

Shaun O’Hara co-captained the Giants to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, anchoring one of the best offensive lines in football.

Last season, the O-Line continued to shine for the Giants, opening holes for two 1,000-yard rushers. A better regular season in 2008 didn’t translate into back-to-back titles, but it did give O’Hara and the Giants better perspective on how difficult it is to repeat and how tough it is to win a Super Bowl in a very balanced, competitive NFL.

“The veterans on this team understand that every year is different,” said O’Hara, who was a reserve on the Pro Bowl last season. “You start every season at square one.

“Last season makes you appreciate the Super Bowl even more,” he added.

As for Plaxico Burress, O’Hara is ready to move on. “Personally, I wish Plaxico the best. We’ve moved on. We’re focused right now what can help us win.

Can tight end Kevin Boss be even better in his second full season as a starter? PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

Who’s the Boss?

Kevin Boss had made Giants fans forget about Pro Bowler Jeremy Shockey.

A strong Super Bowl performance followed by 33 receptions and 6 TDs last season will do that.

Drafted in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft, Boss took over for an injured Shockey as the starting tight end and brought in nine passes and two touchdowns to end the 2007 regular season.

The 6-foot-6 Boss has become a formidable target for quarterback Eli Manning, living up to lofty expectations last season after the Giants parted way with Shockey, dealing him to New Orleans.

Boss talked about starting his second full season as a starter: “I’m continuing to work on the little things; be a student of the game.”

He discussed the mental and the physical preparation that goes into getting ready for the season. For Boss, like his teammates, he was pleased to be back in pads, taking part in drills – noting that minicamp is part of a greater process in building a champion.     

“It feels good to get the first minicamp under our belt,” Boss said. “Both sides of the ball looked very sharp and we just want to continue that right into training camp. We are well on our way.”   

Injury Update

Attendance for the first day of mandatory minicamp was perfect, with all 89 players on hand. However, several of them did not practice for a variety of medical reasons. Among the players not practicing because of minor injuries, or because they are rehabilitating after offseason surgery were cornerback Corey Webster, defensive linemen Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield and Rocky Bernard and rookie tackle William Beatty. David Tyree left practice with a groin strain. After dominating in both the morning session and the beginning of the afternoon practice, Sinorice Moss left PM practice with a hamstring strain.

Who will be the No. 1 receiver for QB Eli Manning in 2009? PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

They Said it…

Giants coach Tom Coughlin on his club’s mood…

“I think they are enthusiastic. They have competed like they always do, but I think there is a sense of we want to be better. We are not happy with the way it ended last year. And I think guys have accepted their goals and the priorities both individually as a group and as a team. We have some new people here that have to be integrated into it…right now we are trying to put the finishing touches on a good offseason program and then we will do a good job of letting everybody know what is expected over the next few weeks. The enthusiasm will be very high for us coming back.”

Giants coach Tom Coughlin on how different the message to the team is this year…

“Very different, very different. We are coming off a huge disappointment, quite frankly, on the part of everybody. There is no presumption here. It is hard work and it is the ability to get things done on the field when the opportunity is there. And I think that where the attitude is right now is that we know we have a lot of work to do. We know we can be a good football team. We know that there are consistency factors and ability factors and having the opportunity to get into a situation where we can do something about that bad taste we have in our mouth from last year. I think that is exactly where it is.”

Rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks on memorizing the formations…

“It is definitely a big step up, but it is definitely what I was looking forward to coming in. I am taking it one day at a time, and competing every day.”

Defensive end Justin Tuck on minicamp attendance and distractions…

“There are still distractions, but I think it is very relevant. It shows that the guys are committed to coming in here and working. We understand that the more we compete against each other, the better we are going to get. We have new guys. The more we have the opportunity to play with them and really learn their style of how they play football, and they can learn our style, it benefits us come September, October, November, and so forth. I think that is an encouraging factor. I think it is something that we haven’t had, especially since I have been here.”

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora on the bitter taste left from last season…

“I think we were one of the better teams in the NFL last year throughout the season. I think we didn’t finish. I think we should have won the Super Bowl, but we didn’t quite get that done. This year that is exactly what we are trying to accomplish. Every team is trying to accomplish that, and if you don’t accomplish that, then it’s not a good season.” 

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