Mandatory minicamps have begun and before we know it training camp this coming summer will begin.  The New York Giants are coming off a championship season and are looking to work in every way possible to defend their title.  Here are the top five keys the Giants need to work on in order to accomplish this goal:

5.  Eli needs to stay elite
I don’t think there’s anything to worry here.  However, to insure victory, you need Eli Manning.  You need this guy to be the QB he was last year:  tough, clutch, and a leader.  Manning has already talked about what he needs to work on personally.  The number one stat he needs to improve is lowering his interceptions.  He led the league in 2010 with 25 and cut them down to 16 in 2011.  Even with his best season on record, Manning is bothered by the stat and wants to make sure it gets better.  Even with the 16 interceptions, Manning was the best clutch QB in the NFL bringing his team to come-from-behind victories almost every week.  When you played the Giants, the game wasn’t truly over until the clock was 00:00 after the fourth quarter, and it’s all because of Manning.  As long as he stays clutch, and continues to be a tough QB, he will have no problem leading his offense down the field.

4.  Find the perfect WR trio
In the 2011 season Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham were an unstoppable trio of receivers.  It didn’t matter who the opposing defenses forced Manning to throw to.  All three were trustworthy and were at their spots to make catches.  Right now that trio is broken up.  Manningham left New York for San Francisco and Nicks is out with a broken foot.    The Giants hope to have Nicks ready in time for Week 1, but until then what do they do?  There is still one spot open to be that third guy.  That guy that will be there to make third down plays.  Domenik Hixon is returning from his second ACL tear and was used last season as a receiver.  His best catch last year was what caused his injury against the St. Louis Rams.  There is also rookie Rueben Randle from LSU.  Jerry Reese is all about this kid and has claimed he is “NFL ready”.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Randle is the go-to guy in third downs.

3.  Defensive backs need to step up their game
Last year, the Giants lost their best CB Terrell Thomas to an ACL tear during a preseason game.  The regular season started off very rocky for the backs and it showed that Thomas was really missed out there.  They had their moments of glory, but also very shaky moments of distress.  Corey Webster had a solid year for the CB’s with six interceptions and Antrel Rolle got more physical with 82 tackles.  Last year’s first round draft pick Prince Amukamara missed most of the season with a broken foot.  Now that he’s returned healthy he will have high expectations coming his way in 2012.  Thomas will also be back with a healthy knee and will remind New York why he’s so valuable.  In 2010 he led the team in interceptions (5) and tackles (81).  The Giants have also acquired Antwaun Molden from the New England Patriots who will be used as a solid backup.  It is a must for the CB’s to work twice as hard as they did last year, especially with the difficult schedule ahead of them.

2.  Protect your QB!
It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to protect your QB.  After being sacked 28 times in 2011, the Giants are lucky they have a tough QB in Manning.  The team did not offer a new contract to Kareem McKenzie, whose job it was to provide protection which didn’t really happen.  David Diehl will most likely serve as the top tackle for Manning and the line will have a healthy David Baas back.  The key right there is Baas at center.  He has the talent and the potential to give the Giants a strong offensive line.  He was riddled with injuries last year and was prevented from proving so.  If Baas stays healthy, you have a stronger line and a better chance at protecting the QB.

1.  Be the best defense in the NFL
The Giants have the talent and the experience the have the best defensive front line in the NFL.  There were some injuries and distractions that prevented it from being so in 2011.  This year, however, is shaping up to be a lot different.  There is a healthy Justin Tuck, a healthy and (key word) happy Osi Umenyiora, and a young, hungry, and powerful Jason Pierre-Paul.  If these three are on their A-game and attacking the QB every single week, it’s game over.  Let’s not forget the potential first string linebackers in Mathias Kiwanuka, Michael Boley, and Chase Blackburn that are showing their worth coming off 2011.  After about three seasons it looks like the LB position has finally been solidified for the Giants.  They need to do everything they can to stay healthy and give 110% every single week and they will be the best defensive front line in the NFL.

To be honest, there really isn’t much of a transition the Giants have to make in order to chase a repeat.  All they need to do is take what they did in 2011 and make it better.  Manning told the media during the first team workouts that his main concern is for the team to find a way to improve.  If they were successful last year, then how do they make it better?  As long as they head in that direction, they have a great chance at defending their title.

Yesterday, mandatory verteran minicamps began.  Players took the field for an hour and forty minutes for practice.

ESPN’s Kieran Darcy noted some highlights from the day:

1.  Veterans attended practice, but some did not fully participate.  One in particular was Osi Umenyiora.  He spent most of the afternoon on the sideline, but did take the field during the walk-off portion.

CB Corey Webster and S Kenny Phillips also sat out.  Webster is still healing a hamstring injury and the team is being careful with Phillips.

DT Chris Canty will sit out of minicamp while he recovers from knee surgery.

WR Hakeem Nicks, who broke his right foot a few weeks ago, was riding an exercise bike on the sideline.

2.  Newly signed Rocky Bernard played on the defensive line with Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul.  Michael Boley, Chase Blackburn, and Mathias Kiwanuka were the first string linebackers.

3.  On Eli Manning’s first pass of the day he was picked off by Boley on a pass that was intended for Victor Cruz.

Backup QB’s David Carr and Ryan Perrilloux were able to locate rookie receiver Rueben Randle.

Head coach Tom Coughlin spoke to the media about what the players should expect in minicamps and holes to fill in the lineup:

“We’re gonna throw a lot at them,” said Coughlin. “We’ll install, and then we’ll jog through, we’ll install again, and then practice. So in other words they’re getting two days of installation, and we’re trying to get as much information to them as we possibly can, and we’ll go through our corrections in the evening.”

The Giants will return the nucleus from their Super Bowl-winning team of a year ago. But they still have some holes to fill. For instance, they will be looking for a No. 2 running back to pair with Ahmad Bradshaw, now that Brandon Jacobs is with the 49ers. And they are looking for a No. 3 wide receiver, with Mario Manningham also jumping to San Francisco.

“We’re gonna get some people lined up [this week],” Coughlin said. “We have formulated some opinions, but it’ll take training camp and some preseason games before we start to be able to do some further thoughts with some of the young kids.”

More news from minicamp was posted on social media sites.  Art Stapleton of The Record notes some impressive coverage on Victor Cruz by rookie Jayron Hosley during 7-on-7 drills.

And the team’s Twitter page (@Giants) reveals Justin Tuck’s new facemask:

Notes from Day 2 will come later today.

Jason Pierre-Paul (Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.)

Another edition of my New York Giants power rankings list is here!  With the 2012 NFL draft done and over with, there are some additions to the rankings.

Offense:

1.  Eli Manning
No need to get into deep specifics.  You know the numbers, you see his leadership, you know how clutch his is in the 4th quarter.  That’s enough said right there.  Manning will continue to do great things for this offense.

2.  Victor Cruz
My last power rank list had Cruz in the third slot, but I changed it up this time.  I think Cruz will bring even more power and speed next season.  If you think you’ve seen everything Cruz can do, you haven’t seen anything yet.  I see even bigger plays and more magic from this kid next season.  The Super Bowl ring will only lighten the fire and more salsa dancing touchdowns.

3.  Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is one of the most athletic players on the team.  He’s able to jump high and make some of the most incredible and acrobatic catches.  He makes some of the hardest catches look so easy.  He finished the 2011 season on a very high note and had some of the biggest highlights in the postseason.  This will give him a lot of motivation going into the 2012 season.

4.  Ahmad Bradshaw
Bradshaw was the starting running back last season and still holds that position.  I probably would have ranked him a little higher had he not injured himself for four weeks.  Bradshaw is recovering from a stress fracture in his foot, but his mindset is on training camp.  He’s not picking up a football until he is fully healed and positive vibes are through the roof.  I’m expecting big things from him.  Hopefully he can stay healthy.

5.  Rueben Randle
Yes, he’s only a rookie.  Yes, we haven’t seen him on the big stage yet.  Yes, he wasn’t drafted number one.  How he was still even available in the second round for the Giants second pick I will never know.  Randle has everything a WR prospect can have:  speed, agility, and major athleticism.  Jerry Reese believes he’s NFL ready.  Tom Coughlin believes it.  I believe it.  Randle will be the perfect fit for the WR trio with Nicks and Cruz.  With no disrespect to Mario Manningham, Giants fans will not miss him.
Defense

1.  Jason Pierre-Paul
There’s only one word that describes Pierre-Paul:  MONSTER.  All opposing quarterbacks better hope their lines protect them.  They will not want Pierre-Paul running in their direction.  His power and speed is unbelievable and he will not back down.  Pierre-Paul will run right through the quarterback until he is down on the ground.  I don’t expect anything less from him in 2012.  Now having a Super Bowl ring in his young career, I see more power, aggression, and hunger for another one.

2.  Mathias Kiwanuka
Kiwanuka got a major bump up on this list.  The Giants just handed Kiwi an three year extension before the draft.  Well deserved, by the way.  Kiwanuka was a defensive-end-turned-linebacker and proved his worth last season.  Health was a question going into 2011, but it’s not a question going into 2012.  He’s going to be a big weapon for the defense.

3.  Justin Tuck
My hero.  Tuck is the definition of leadership.  Tuck is one of the main reasons why the defensive line is as good as it is.  He’s a motivator.  Not to mention he too is an absolute beast.  You let Tuck through your line, you will pay.  He will get to the quarterback, and he will sack him.

4.  Osi Umenyiora
I think a more quiet Umenyiora is a more powerful one.  The last two seasons he was complaining about the Giants not paying him enough money.  He wanted more.  His results on the field were good.  However, he could be better.  Yes, in 2010 he led in sacks, but it was a strangely quiet year for him.  He vowed to stay quiet this offseason.  I only hope that means he’s going to bring his talk onto the field instead of to the media.  If that’s the case, he will not be stopped.

5.  Terrell Thomas
True, Thomas did miss the entire 2011 season with an ACL tear.  But let’s look at what he was able to do in 2010.  He led the entire team in interceptions and tackles that year.  Yes, a corner led a football team in tackles.  There’s no denying that Thomas is one of the better corners in the league, even if his paycheck doesn’t say so.  He will bring those defensive backs to where they need to be.  I expect him to come back with full training and healthy legs.  Thomas will remind all Giants fans why he’s so valuable to this team.

Like always, power rankings will change as the offseason continues.  If the team were to take the field today for Week 1, these are the stars.  These are the players that will make key differences between winning and losing.  We’ll see what happens as the months pass by.

The seemingly never ending saga that is Osi Umenyiora’s contract woes has a new chapter.  I title it:  Greedy pig, or angry boy?

Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reported Monday morning that the Giants DE was upset when GM Jerry Reese told the media that they offered him another contract extension that he turned down.  Umenyiora, in an email to the NYDN, said Reese was distorting the truth and that it wasn’t much of an offer at all:

Last year I was offered incentives.  This year they offered me in guaranteed money, HALF of what they just gave Kiwi guaranteed.  HALF…I’m not making that up.  Then Jerry tells the world they offered me an extension and I turned it down.  And I look like a greedy pig for turning it down.  Hilarious.

After reading the news last week about Mathias Kiwanuka’s three-year contract extension, the first thought that ran through my mind was, “Osi is going to be pissed.”  I think it’s safe to say I was right.

Kiwanuka was offered a $10.95 million guaranteed three-year extension worth up to $21.75 million.  I find it very hard to believe that Reese only offered Umenyiora half of $10.95 million.

Umenyiora is entering the final year of a seven-year $41.5 million contract and has been asking for an extension for the past three offseasons.  After the lockout last summer, he refused to practice and held out.  He even accused Reese of being a liar about promising an extension.  Toward the end of camp Umenyiora opted for surgery on his knee and missed a few weeks of the season.

Even with missing weeks, he ended the season with 9 sacks and in 2012 he had 11.5.  I do think Umenyiora is one of the top DE’s in the game, and I know Reese thinks so, too.  Reese wants him to stay.  Reese has an entire payroll to look at, but he knows how much money Umenyiora is worth and will pay it.

What really annoys me is the feeling I get in my stomach that Umenyiora just doesn’t want to be in New York anymore.  He says he wants to be a Giant, but I don’t believe him.

If this is the way it’s always going to be, Reese giving him an extension and then in five years demands another, then go.  I don’t want you here.

And my favorite part was at the end of the email, Umenyiora says that he will stay silent and not talk about the matter anymore.

Osi:  You said that after the Super Bowl.  You didn’t keep your promise then, and I don’t see you keeping your promise again.

I don’t see Reese looking for trade offers to dish out Umenyiora.  He’ll finish up his last year in New York.  At this point I’m done reading about this.  I’m done with him whining and crying about wanting more money.  I don’t care how much money he makes.  I wish he would care a  little more about focusing on 2011.  On finding ways to get 15 sacks in 2012.

When someone else gets a new contract…I don’t want to have to think about you.

Do us all a favor, Osi, and quit whining.  We don’t want to hear about it.

Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger

It was reported Friday afternoon that the New York Giants and OLB Mathias Kiwanuka agreed to terms on a 3-year extension.

Kiwanuka missed 13 games in 2010 due to a neck injury.  He came back strong in 2011 recording 84 tackles and 3.5 sacks and was a key member of the Giants defense.

As the Giants are still going through contract issues with Osi Umenyiora, getting Kiwanuka back can keep the Giants defense strong if Umenyiora leaves.  Umenyiora wants an extension, but GM Jerry Reese stated that both sides are not close to an agreement.

With the departure of David Tollefson, Kiwanuka will see more snaps in 2012.

Kiwanuka’s salary going forward will be $2.9 million in 2013, $4.375 million in 2014, and $4.475 in 2015.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The New York Giants kept very busy this week and signed some players to return for the 2012 season.

A source confirmed last night that middle linebacker Chase Blackburn came to terms with the team to return.  Blackburn was a major contributor to the team in 2011.  His most notable play of the season was in Super Bowl XLVI when he grabbed an interception off Tom Brady while covering TE Rob Gronkowski.

With linebackers like Mathias Kiwanuka and Michael Boley, Blackburn will only help strengthen the position.

Blackburn wasn’t even on the roster at the start of the 2011 season.  He was called to rejoin the team before Week 13 due to injuries that benched players.  He was a key contributor to the Super bowl run and of course the championship.

The Giants really need to hold on to Blackburn for as long as they can.  He has more talent than they originally thought.

The Giants also traded a fifth round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for Keith Rivers.  Rivers has the talent to be a powerful linebacker for the Giants…that is if he stays healthy.  He missed all of 2011 with a wrist injury.

The Giants signed offensive linemen Sean Locklear and cornerback Antwaun Molden on Wednesday.

Locklear will give a verteran presence for the line and should be a key contributor to help protect Eli Manning.

Molden was a part of the 2011 New England Patriots team and joined the team that denied him a ring.  However, he is reportedly “glad to be a Giant”. Molden was a big contributor in the Super Bowl for the Patriots and will help strengthen the Giants weak secondary.

All the moves the Giants have made this week are going to be very key.  They strengthened the linebacker position and already started to build a strong offensive line.  This will bring more anticipation for the upcoming draft to see how much further Jerry Reese can build for 2012.  It should be a fun season.

A source confirmed that New York Giants defensive end David Tollefson agreed to terms with the Oakland Raiders.  He will sign a two-year contract worth $2.5 million.

Tollefson was a great contributor for the Super Bowl winning Giants, but with players like Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Jason Pierre-Paul on the line, finding a bigger contract with the Giants would not have come easy.  The Giants still have Mathias Kiwanuka to fill in the defensive end spot.

Tollefson is now the third Giants player to move to the Bay Area.  Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham both recently joined the San Francisco 49ers.

Tollefson grew up in the Bay Area, so the surroundings will not be strange to him.