Eli Manning: Giants more likely to welcome Plaxico than Tiki

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 27, 2011, 11:43 AM EDT

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Two former Giants, Plaxico Burress andTiki Barber, are hoping to return to the NFL this year after a long time away. One of their former teammates says that he’d rather be reunited with the guy who’s been in prison than the guy who’s been on television.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning said on today’s Dan Patrick Show that he’d accept Burress as a teammate before he’d accept Barber as a teammate — and he thinks most of his current teammates feel the same way.

“Probably Plaxico,” Manning said when asked which one would be more welcome in the Giants’ locker room. “He has probably fonder memories, winning a Super Bowl, that catch for the touchdown in Super Bowl XLII. Tiki just ended on a bad note. It’s really a shame, he should be remembered as a great Giants running back and a terrific player — because he was — but the way he went out he burned a few bridges. . . . So I think Plaxico would probably be welcomed back a little quicker.”

When Barber was an NBC analyst he offered some criticisms of Manning, and Manning says that by firing back and offering his own criticisms of Barber, he earned more respect in the Giants’ locker room.

“I responded back and I think guys liked to see that from me,” Manning said. “I didn’t want it to be a deal where it’s me vs. Tiki . . . but I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing.”

Manning’s comments are a fascinating glimpse into the way football players view the actions of their teammates: Burress broke the New York Penal Code, but now that he’s served his time, players are willing to forget about it. Barber broke the locker room code by attacking former teammates in the media, and that’s not something those teammates are willing to forgive.

DeMarcus Ware onset for the Top 100, ranks 20-11

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on June 27, 2011, 10:29 AM EDT

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We think we’ve figured out who the top ten players in NFL Network’s list will be.   Florio said how he would rank them, after pointing out his choice for No. 1 (Aaron Rodgers) was no longer an option.

Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware has another pick for No. 1: DeMarcus Ware.

“You know, I think I should be the number one guy on the list. But at the end of the day, people are going to vote you where they think you should be,” Ware said Sunday night with a smile on NFL Network’s discussion show after it was revealed he finished No. 12 on the list.

Ware’s argument is a strong one.  He has more sacks than any player since 2005.  (We know the list is supposed to be mostly on 2010, but look at the top 10. Career accomplishments made a big difference.)

I’d rank Ware clearly ahead of three of players in the top 10: Ray Lewis, Julius Peppers, and Ed Reed.  You could make an argument Ware should be ahead ofTroy Polamalu, Andre Johnson, and Adrian Peterson.

My argument: If a draft was held for just the 2011 season, where would Ware get taken compared to the players above? My guess is he’d be first on a lot of boards.

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Ware is obviously a tremendous talent, and his numbers speak volumes to that.  However sack totals alone are not the only indicator of a players greatness.   I honestly don't know how you compare him to Peppers and Freeny, and get a fair comparison.  Who is the top rated pash rusher, regardless of position?  It's hard to tell, different schemes ask players to attack in different styles, and allow different freedoms on the field.  

All that said, we know it's a Quarterback league, so QBs always rank high.  And this list is no different, 3 of the top 4 will probably be QBs.  However, for me to put a list together, it isn't about who we would draft today, but who is the best at their position.   If that is the case, I would have to say Darrell Revis is that player right now.  

Revis has to be the one player that stands out from the crowd the most in this league.  I love Nnamdi, and honestly think he does not get enough credit for his press coverage.  But, pretty much everyone agress that Revis is just the best there is right now.

What do you think?