EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Looking back, it may have been one of Jeremy Shockey’s best plays as a New York Giant. He got into a shouting match with the general manager, rankled the head coach, spread chatter about his discontent during the offseason and threatened to turn the post-Super Bowl training camp into a daily soap opera.
For a guy who wanted out, it was about as precise a route as he’s ever run.
So when the Giants finally agreed to trade the four-time Pro Bowl tight end to the New Orleans Saints on Monday — receiving a second- and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 draft in return — it came as no real surprise. In fact, for some of the key participants in the negotiations that simmered for almost five months, it was quite likely a relief.
“It has been difficult and it has been challenging and I know that personally Jeremy has been struggling with his future,” Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said. “He made it very clear to me and John Mara and Jerry (Reese) and coach Coughlin that he wanted to play for another team. I hope this proves to be a win-win for everybody, selfishly for the Giants and I hope things work out for Jeremy in New Orleans. I think he’s got a lot of football left in him.”
The trade hinges on Shockey passing a physical, which the Saints will administer either today or Wednesday. Shockey, who has never played an entire 16-game season, missed the final two games of last year’s regular season with a broken fibula and was sidelined during the team’s remarkable postseason run to a championship. It was that injury — and the success the team found without him on the field — that seemed to spark Shockey’s desire to leave the Giants.
“February third must have been a very difficult day for him,” said Tisch, who had Shockey as a guest in his box for the Super Bowl in Phoenix. “I really hope from his point of view, this is the resolution he was looking for.”
Shockey will be reunited with Saints head coach Sean Payton, who was the Giants’ offensive coordinator in 2002 when Shockey joined the NFL as a first-round pick out of Miami.
“Jeremy is a player that we are excited to have on our roster,” Payton said in a statement on the Saints’ Web site. “He is someone I am familiar with as a player. He brings a skill set to the position that I feel will be a tremendous benefit to our offense.”
Shockey is also quoted on the Web site, though he is not expected to address the New Orleans media until later this week. “I am excited to join the Saints as they have expressed interest in me,” he said. “The Saints have a lot of weapons starting with (quarterback) Drew Brees, and I look forward to joining my teammates at training camp. This will be a fun year.”
Shockey may leave the Giants with some peace and quiet — and about a million dollars in salary cap room for the coming season — but he’ll also leave them with uncertainty at tight end. In six seasons with the Giants, Shockey caught 371 passes for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns. They’ll likely rely on second-year player Kevin Boss, who stepped in for Shockey during the playoffs as a rookie last season. They also have Darcy Johnson at the position, who looked very sharp during the team’s minicamp in June, as well as Michael Matthews. Both Johnson (knee) and Matthews (shoulder) are recovering from injuries.
“We have five young kids who are all vying for the position,” Coughlin said. “The tight end position will be a very competitive position in training camp.”
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