Is This The Final Call For Osi Umenyiora As A Giant?

By Leslie Monteiro

Osi Umenyiora has one more year remaining in his contract after the season is over, and there is no guarantee he will be a New York Giant next September.

With Jason Pierre-Paul starting and playing at a Pro Bowl level, the Giants have themselves a more-than-adequate replacement. They are not paying their free agent what he wants when they will allocate the money for other needs. They are also not going to let him leave without anything in return.  It’s a good bet the Giants will get value for him by making a trade.

Umenyiora knows it’s a business. He has to do what’s best for himself and his family, and he knows the Giants have to do what’s best for them. It was that mentality that had the two sides bickering back in August, and it’s that same mentality that has allowed Osi to rejoin the defensive line rotation with great success.

For the longtime Giant, he is at peace with himself. He wants to leave the Giants on a bright  note, and that’s contributing to a team trying to get another championship. He’s only a game away from winning his second championship in New York, and really, is there any better place to win?

Umenyiora has done well since coming back from an injury. He has handled his role as a backup with class by not complaining and doing his job. He has been instrumental in the success and turnaround of the Giants defense these past few weeks. His teammates and the Giants coaching staff have not forgotten what his play and his leadership meant to the team. It’s a credit to his character and his ability that he can still play well.

Prior to the playoffs, he had two sacks against the Cowboys to set the stage for a good postseason.

In the wild-card playoffs, he hit Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan twice. He also had one tackle and one sack.

In the divisional playoffs, he sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice, and he shadowed the Super Bowl MVP all game long.  He even forced Rodgers to turn the ball over.

With each game, he is getting his strength back, looking stronger and more comfortable in his role on the Giants D. What’s remarkable about Umenyiora’s success is that he is still playing hurt.

But Umenyiora’s play is just one part of the occasion. Don’t sleep on the leadershio he brings.  Osi is not one of those folks that like to be seen or heard. He does not go out of his way to fill up a sportswriter’s notebook. It’s those attributes that make him a favorite to Tom Coughlin and his teammates.

Now, he hasn’t been a saint. He was out of line few years ago when he walked out of Giants training facility for arguing with then-defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan. He also played a role in getting Sheridan fired.

Umenyiora also could have handled himself better when it came to his contract this summer. Even if he was right, he shouldn’t be speaking about his business when folks are not interested to see a millionaire complain about his salary.

Still, this will be forgotten when Umenyiora’s tenure comes to an end. His play in the postseason and his behavior will get people to change their minds, and that is what the fans will remember.

It’s hard to believe he will take shots at the Giants once he is gone. That doesn’t seem to be like him, and he does not want to lose his goodwill to the fans and to the organization. He watched Tiki Barber trash the Giants organization during retirement, and he knew it did not end well for his former teammate. He does not want to be in that position, especially when he is a potential candidate for the Giants Ring of Honor.

Whatever happens, he will leave as a warrior. He has cemented himself as one of the best Giants to wear that uniform, and he may have two championship rings to show for it in a few weeks.

If this is his last time as a Giant, it’s a neat way to end a successful tenure.

Umenyiora’s the kind of high-character guy Rex Ryan should consider trading for.

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Tags: jason pierre-paul, new york giants, Osi Umenyiora, super bowl, Tom Coughlin