For Giants, return of Kenny Phillips would be unexpected bonus

Giants safety Kenny Phillips followed up a promising rookie season in 2008 by earning a job in the starting lineup in 2009. But Phillips suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week Two, and now, nine months later, it's still not clear when -- or if -- he'll get back to full speed.

Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports that Phillips coming back and being everything the Giants thought he'd be when they took him in the first round of the 2008 draft would have to be considered an unexpected bonus, not something the Giants can count on.

A month ago Phillips was reportedly running and cutting, but not practicing. Vacchiano reports, however, that Phillips still isn't cutting much.

And the Giants' actions -- signing free agent safeties Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant, drafting safety Chad Jones -- indicate that they view safety as a position of need. If they were confident their 2008 first-round pick would return to form, safety probably wouldn't have been such a high offseason priority.

It's still possible that Phillips could surprise everyone and get back onto the field. But nine months after his injury, it still appears that he's a long way from returning.

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(profootballtalk.com)