Tom Coughlin hopes Osi Umenyiora’s presence at practice tonight was a promising sign.
Umenyiora, whom the Giants had given the choice of leaving for the day, was at practice tonight, spending part of the session riding a bike on the sidelines. Coughlin said that the defensive end, who’s in a contract dispute with the team, made the choice to stay.
“I was pleased,” Coughlin said. “I think it’s a good thing. I’m hoping that it’s the kind of indication that we’re all looking for.”
Coughlin declined to say much else about Umenyiora.
“I’m not talking about Osi. I have nothing to say. I don’t know anything,” he said. “It seems like there’s chapters. When I do have something to tell you, I’ll tell you. But I don’t know any more than all the speculation. I’d rather talk about the guys that are here and are practicing.”
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The Giants had their first practice in pads tonight, and Coughlin was happy to see it.
“A lot of padded work necessary obviously,” he said. “Let’s get ‘em all out there so we can somehow develop some balance and integrate the contract guys with everybody else and try to get on the same page.”
Coughlin believes that as of now, the Giants will not be able to have their newly-signed free agents practice for the first time tomorrow since the CBA is not ratified yet.
“I think if they can get it done during the day, with the way we practice late in the day, we can still pull it off,” Coughlin said, referring to the Giants’ 6 pm practice start time.
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Coughlin said WR Devin Thomas turned an ankle but will be okay. . . . Victor Cruz dropped two passes in practice, one a long throw along the sidelines, the other a toss over the middle. . . . Sage Rosenfels hit Darius Reynaud on a deep strike down the middle. . . . Rookie Da’Rel Scott dropped a dump-off pass. . . . Coughlin on TE Travis Beckum having a bigger role offensively: “I hope so. That’s the plan.”