NFL
Did Taylor deal kill Saints’ chances to get Shockey? (update: No it didn’t)
NFL camps open this week, and the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants begin work toward a repeat with their first practice Friday. However, their camp could be a bit of a circus with the potential of unhappy tight end Jeremy Shockey hanging over the team (we won’t even go into Plaxico Burress).
Shockey apparently got his feelings hurt last year as he watched the team win the Super Bowl without him (how dare it!) thanks in large part to rookie tight end Kevin Boss. In fact, a memorable shot from that game was an injured Shockey cheering on his team – with beers in each hand in a luxury box instead of on the sideline. He also didn’t like his role on the offense when he was healthy because he became more of a blocker than a downfield pass-catcher.
Shockey, who broke his leg last December, showed up for his team’s minicamp in June but did not participate in any drills. In fact, he refused to stand on the sidelines with the rest of his injured teammates and only worked with the team’s medical staff. And then he reportedly got into a shouting match with GM Jerry Reese.
The Giants almost traded him to the Saints around the NFL draft, but they reportedly turned down second- and fifth-round picks. That’s not to say the Saints still don’t want him, as their coach, Sean Payton, is the former offensive coordinator for the G-Men and thinks Shockey could thrive with Drew Brees.
Interestingly, the Jason Taylor trade to the Redskins could mean Shockey stays with New York. SI.com’s Peter King reported the Saints were looking at a three-team deal with the Miami Dolphins and the Giants with New York getting Taylor, the Saints would have gotten Shockey, and Miami would have received a pair of draft picks from New Orleans.
That deal is dead, but King wrote that “the Shockey story is not over.”
The question is, will Shockey report for camp on Thursday and be a major distraction for coach Tom Coughlin, who has said Shockey is his starter “for now.”
Reese appeared to hint that the Giants are plenty ready to move on either way.
“I expect we’ll have 53 players when we play the Redskins (on Sept. 4) who want to be here, and are happy to be here, ready to play as a team, ready to defend the title. That’s what I expect,” Reese said. “If that includes Jeremy, that would be great.”
UPDATE: The Giants have agreed to trade Shockey to the Saints for a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick, according to multiple reports. The deal is pending league approval, and Shockey must pass a physical.
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