Giants Release Plaxico Burress

Amid bonus disputes, illegal gun charges, and various reports of displeasure with Giants management, Plaxico Burress was finally cut by the New York Giants. As I wrote in one of my previous blog entries, Burress is a liability to the team, and apparently, general manager Jerry Reese agrees with me.

Burress was welcomed back to the team by head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese at the end of the 2008 season. Reese stated publicly his intention of standing by Burress. The Giants did so by renegotiating his contract, when they could have just cut him outright immediately following the shooting. So, although there was a signing dispute in progress over 1 million dollars the Giants were trying to recoup, the Giants offered a new incentive laden contract to Burress that his lawyers had advised Burress to sign. ESPN reported earlier tonight that Burress rejected the Giants' offer even after his lawyers had advised him otherwise.

This was the last straw. Burress not only helped wreck the Giants' season last year, but he also had become a disenfranchised problem to the organization. The fact that Burress' legal issues would not be resolved by the time the draft would roll around did not help. Had Burress plead guilty earlier this week, the Giants would have at least known what hand they had been dealt with Burress. The delay of the hearing until June just meant that this would drag on and on for the Giants. In the end, this, along with his rejection of the contract was the reason why Burress was cut.

Was cutting Burress the right thing to do? Yes and no. By cutting Burress the Giants lose their number one receiver (one of the few elite in the league), and a popular locker room figure and leader. The tandem of wide receivers currently on the roster don't exactly elicit fear from today's elite cornerbacks. None of them currently demand double coverage. This leaves the Giants with a gaping hole on offense.

Adversely, the Giants just dumped a major headache. I'm sure Coughlin and Reese are happy to be rid of this distraction. The Draft is coming up, and they have to focus their energy on finding a suitable number 1 replacement. Also, by cutting Burress, the amount of money that that was supposed to go to Burress can now be used towards his replacement. Names that have been rumored are disgruntled Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin, Cleveland Browns WR Braylon Edwards, and St. Louis Rams WR Tory Holt. Of the three, Boldin and Edwards would make the best fit. Unfortunately, Boldin wants elite money, and it is unclear at this point how much cap room Burress' release frees up. Will the Giants have enough cash and considerations to land Boldin? No one knows for sure at this point.

Edwards is another interesting fit, but unfortunately his counterpart, Dante Stallworth was just charged with manslaughter charges stemming from an accident in Miami Beach where he struck and killed a 59 year old man on the MacArthur Causeway at 7am on a Saturday. Toxicology reports issued by the Miami-Dade Police Department stated that Stallworth's blood alcohol level was .12, or for a 200lb man, the equivalent of driving after drinking 6 beers. With Stallworth's legal issues and career up in the air, the Browns would be left with no legitimate number 1 receiver to throw to. This greatly diminished the likeliness of his trade. But, if anyone can make a trade happen, I believe Jerry Reese can. As we say over on the Daily News Blog: " ...In Jerry We Trust."