Burress: Giants need
Shocke
Jul/09/08 04:28 PM Filed in:
Jeremy
Shockey
NEW YORK — The New York
Giants are a better football team with tight end
Jeremy Shockey, wide receiver Plaxico Burress
says.
Shockey was the subject of offseason trade talk after
Kevin Boss’ performance in place of the injured
former first-round draft pick during the Giants’
run to the Super Bowl championship. An attempt by the
Giants to trade the 27-year-old Shockey to New Orleans
during the NFL draft in April failed.
“People say we’re better off without
him,” Burress, 30, said in an interview with
Bloomberg Radio’s “On the Ball”
program. “I say those people don’t know the
game of football, how hard this guy goes out and
competes every Sunday.”
Burress, who caught the winning touchdown with 35
seconds remaining in the Super Bowl as the Giants upset
the unbeaten New England Patriots 17-14, said, “I
want him around. He’s one of the main reasons I
came to New York.”
Shockey, who caught 57 passes last season, broke his
left leg against Washington on Dec. 16 and missed the
Giants’ title run. Boss replaced him and caught
five passes for 90 yards during the playoffs, including
a 45-yard pass on one of New York’s touchdown
drives in the Super bowl.
“For a guy of his stature that likes to go out
and compete on a week-in, week-out basis, it was sad
for him not to be a part of that,” Burress said.
“If you know him like I do, you know he wanted to
be a part of it.”
At the Giants’ minicamp last month, Shockey was
held out of practice sessions as he continued to
rehabilitate his injury. Coach Tom Coughlin said
he’s the No. 1 tight end on the team’s
depth chart heading into training camp.
“I can’t speak for ownership and I
can’t speak for anyone upstairs,” Burress
said. “I can speak as a friend and teammate and I
want him around.”
(rockymountainnews.com)