Manning Likes His Receivers So Far
August 11th, 2009 | by mike577 |Eli Manning talked to the media yesterday at length, saying he feels good so far, and isn’t having trouble throwing the deep ball like he usually does this far into camp. He also talked a lot about how important it is for rookie receivers to come in an learn the pro playbook and the differences in defenses that they will face, in addition to getting a rhythm going with their QB.
In particular, Manning mentioned that he was a bit disappointed that Hakeem Nicks has missed a few practices. But he singled out another rookie, Ramses Barden, as being a pleasant surprise. Manning also talked about Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham, and how those guys have also been nice surprises for him so far. With Nicks and Steve Smith nursing injuries, it’s especially important for Manning to have some options as the team plans on facing Carolina in the preseason opener Monday night. Forget that the game doesn’t matter…we should all be worried about the timing and reps these guys work on before September 13.
In addition to addressing some not-so-great plays (read: interceptions, some of which can be credited by some stellar defense), Manning also talked about how the team is trying to get Brandon Jacobs more involved in the passing game. This is bad news for opposing defenses, good news for fantasy owners, provided Jacobs can handle the extra responsibility. Last year he only caught a handful while fellow RB Derrick Ward was the primary pass catcher out of the backfield.
Tags: Brandon Jacobs, Carolina Panthers, Derrick Ward, Eli Manning, Giants, Giants camp, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, preseason opener, Ramses Barden, Sinorice Moss, Steve Smith
