Loading ...Former LSU star Chad Jones promised he would be one of the first players through the door on Monday morning when the New York Giants returned for their offseason workouts, and the safety made good on that promise. After 23 months away from football following a car accident that nearly cost him his life, he returned to the field and was seen running dressed head to toe in Giants gear.
"It's something I've been working toward for the last two years, ever since the day of my car wreck," Jones said earlier this month. "It's just going to be a great feeling being back there in a football atmosphere, being around teammates and being in a different city and being where Giants fans are. Everything will be picture-perfect."
Although Jones passed a physical and was cleared to return to football activities by his personal physician, he's yet to be cleared by the Giants' team physician, Dr. Russell Warren. Accordingly, Jones is at the complex working out as a continuation of his rehab.
Jones' determination and perseverance has not been lost on his teammates, all of whom were thrilled to see him out there on Monday morning. Perhaps defensive tackle Chris Canty said it best with his recent tweet about #35.
"Great to see Chad Jones #35 running around on the field today. His determination is inspiring to us all. #comeback season," Canty tweeted.
One small step at a time. Jones will see live NFL action in the very near future.
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I expect Chad to be a PUPpy this year.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post has come out with his “Mock Draft v7.0″
He’s consistently had this guy falling to us. Would be pretty amazing if it happened:
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Mock-Draft-70.html&page=2
32. New York Giants: South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore
Getting a tall, physical defensive back who displays a natural feel in zone and can go get the football makes some sense for the Giants at the back end of round one.
Good luck to Chad … I’m sure every Giants fan is pulling for him.
Here’s hoping that Jones can make it all the way back
as we approach draft day it is looking more and more like the giants do some combination of DE, WR, RB, TE in the first 4 rounds depending on what is on the board
always impossible to really predict, but oif the value is there I expect DE in the first, WR in the 2d
Saw Ballard Beckum Sash and Hank last night in Hoboken.
Ballard said because of the Microfracture he is done for the season
Hank is a angry looking dude, glad he is our fullback for years to come.
Beckum is feeling good, still walking with a noticeable limp, he was cracking up at the amount and volume I was screaming Hank the Tank
Didn’t speak to Sash
Hynoski is going to be a happy camper when he has a real quality running back coming right behind him. I was an early fan of Bradshaw’s, but after watching him for four years I no longer think he’s a capable lead back. You cannot depend upon him to stay healthy, he cannot practice most weeks, he doesn’t read gaps and cutback lanes all that well, and he won’t take 3 yards when that’s all that’s there and continues to look for big runs and sometimes turns a 3-yard gain into a 1-yard gain as a result. We really NEED a top dog running back. Reese can get him in the draft, and should.
sadly, I agree.
Most disappointed in his reading ability.
His raw power, effort, explosiveness, all that makes you salivate; then you think back to Tiki and how fluid he was, how he saw seams that didn’t even exist for more than a nano-second; and you realize what makes a great back
Yeah, you and I were at the head of the Play Bradshaw crowd in his rookie year, and that worked out pretty well. But that was then.
And I will continue to insist, despite the irrational hatred for Tiki (who proved a **** the field AFTER his career ended but was 100% right in his criticisms while he was on the team), that he was truly a GREAT back, clearly the best the Giants ever had, and should get real consideration for the HOF but probably won’t now that he is persona non grata around his former team. If we could get a back out of this draft who is 85% of Tiki Barber we should all be celebrating.
ha…what was censored was “jerk ” followed by “off” and in off the field…..I love the auto censor because it’s so dumb
not likely to see Tiki’s ilk for a long time
And yet so necessary to keep this well-oiled machine functioning. :)
It would be an awfully great story if Chad Jones can do more than just symbolically suit up so he can say he played in the NFL, but he’s probably a long way from doing any more than that at the moment. We all wish him well, but Dan keeps expressing confidence that Jones will make the roster and I wish I was nearly as confident of that as he.
Adding Jones to the safety depth chart would be a very BIG deal because that is an area where the Giants could use some help. Right now they are dependent on Sash stepping up his game and Horton getting back to the form he showed 2-3 years ago. They don’t have a lot of competition for the 3rd and 4th spots on that depth chart, although I do expect Reese to draft a safety and still think either Coe or Molden could be switched back there after the draft (both have the size to play safety). Chad Jones’ return would add some real competition to what is going to be a brutally competitive camp.
Depending upon the results of the draft and who gets plucked out of the UDFAs it looks like this camp is going to filled with an awful lot of talent. I keep saying this, but it’s true: a smart GM will be watching the Giants carefully, ready to pounce on the high-quality players who will not make the Giants’ roster. A good number of them will be players who would be well up the depth chart elsewhere. I can confidently predict that many G101ers are going to be howling about some of the late cuts. Among them will be some favorites.
This is, of course, a high-class problem for the Giants.
Chad still remains a long shot. Once physically recovered, he still needs to adjust to the speed of the game. He hasn’t seen COLLEGE action in two years. The speed of the NFL will probably be too much at first, so he’ll land on the practice squad. I never saw him as a cover type safety anyway, so drafting someone in the middle rounds, who might one day step in for KP or Rolle, would be good value. Trouble is, the good cover safeties usually don’t last that long, so a CB who might be a little too big and slow for the pro game could be drafted as a project.
This news about Ballard (kudos to Foxlin for the inside info) just sucks. I’d say that drafting a TE is a virtual certainty. Probably mid-round … 3-4.
Also totally agree on the need for a RB. Though just when we pull the trigger is still a subject of some debate. After Trent there’s not a lot to separate the next handful. My guess … 2nd or 3rd.
I’m still beating the drum for Forsett. He’d be a big upgrade over Ware as our 3rd down option. By now his salary demands have to be soft.
UUT
Well, if history is any indicator, the Giants may take a step backward this year.
It’s a tough spot to be in. But they have to find a running back, receiver, OG/OT and a viable blocking/receiving tight end. And each of those players has to be capable of contributing this year. If Barden was a threat to break out, the loss of Manningham could be compensated for without too much trouble. But I suspect he and Beckum are history prior to the end of camp.
A defensive end, corner and possibly another runner are in order too.
Problem is Reese has to examine leftovers in every round except the first.
I have a feeling they will spend that pick on a tall physical wide out, or a talented pass catching running back. And I don’t think there is much choice. It’s not a matter of reaching, it a matter of getting the guy you need before he’s gone.
As always the specter of a defensive end looms. However, after the carnage of round one, who will be left to catch Reese’s eye? Who is the BPA at slot 32?
Not a lot of meat on the bone at that point. The exception is skill positions.
And that is what the Giants really need in round one, two and three.
They (Reese/Ross/Scouts) will earn their money, but little impact help is on the horizon. They must address the running back, WR situation and OL depth.
Any more than nine wins with that schedule is a tough ask.
If the Giants so much as return to the Super Bowl this season, they have to go down as an “Elite” team. Mean time, New England plays Mother Mary’s school for the blind and cripple 14 times.
Beckum will be PUP’d and/or IR’d. He won’t get a chance to compete for a roster spot this year, so I doubt they would go the injury settlement route. Barden’s future depends on Hixon and probably DePalma.