Shaun Rogers signing looks like a failed experiment for the Giants
6/21/2012 11:38:24 AM
Shaun Rogers was a surprise signing by the Giants in April. The veteran defensive tackle didn’t do much of anything during the offseason program that wrapped up last week except cost them promising young tight end Jake Ballard, Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports.
With Rogers unable to participate due to a mysterious elbow condition that neither he nor the Giants will talk much about, general manager Jerry Reese exposed Ballard to waivers for roster purposes so he could bring back reserve defensive tackle Rocky Bernard.
Although he played in all 16 games for the Saints last season, he managed just 14 tackles and wasn’t re-signed even though New Orleans knew its defense was probably going to be decimated by free agency and the NFL’s bounty penalties.
Even Rogers admitted when the Giants signed him that he was halfway expecting to be forced into retirement, although Rogers claimed last week that there were other teams interested this offseason.
With Rogers unable to do anything more than study the Giants’ playbook, the combination of the elbow and the surprise re-signing of Bernard are leading Giant watchers to wonder if Rogers will ever play a snap for the team.
“He is in the classroom,” Tom Coughlin said when asked about Rogers recently before quickly changing the subject.
Rogers isn’t exactly making any guarantees when asked if he expects to be available for the start of training camp in Albany next month. Rogers himself wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants decided to end their relationship soon.
“That’s up to them to decide,” Rogers said. “I feel like I can play football at any point in time. What my role is will be determined by the coaches and how they feel.”
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