Jerry Reese's search for a tight end may have just been made easier by the Raiders, who will release former Giants tight end Kevin Boss, a source told ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Boss left the Giants in free agency last summer after the Raiders offered him a four-year, $16 million deal that included $6 million guaranteed. Boss was due $4 million this season and the Raiders still owe him $2 million guaranteed in 2012 according to Schefter.
Boss played in 14 games last season and had 28 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Those were his lowest numbers since his rookie season in 2007 with the Giants. Boss did have a knee injury early in the season and also suffered a concussion during the season as well.
Reese took a lot of heat for letting Boss and wide receiver Steve Smith leave in free agency for bigger pay days than the Giants were willing to pay. In the end, the moves paid off for the Giants, who won a Super Bowl with tight end Jake Ballard and wide receiver Victor Cruz emerging.
Now, there's a possibility that the Giants could potentially bring both Boss and Smith back. The Giants need a tight end with Ballard and Travis Beckum both recovering from ACL surgeries and likely to start the season on the PUP lists. And Mario Manningham is expected to leave in free agency and the Giants could need a third receiver. Smith never wanted to leave and was open to the idea of a reunion last fall according to Schefter.
So less than a year after Boss left in free agency, he could potentially be back if the Giants and Boss are up for a reunion. It seems to make all the sense in the world to me if Boss is healthy. I never got the impression that Boss wanted to leave but he did what was best for him and his family last summer and no one can blame him for that. Eli Manning is comfortable with Boss, who obviously knows the Giants offense. Who better to come in and fill the void left by Ballard and Beckum than the guy they were trying to replace last year?
What remains to be seen is how much money the Giants will have as they try to re-sign the likes of Terrell Thomas, Jonathan Goff and will have to pay Steve Weatherford as well.
What do you guys think?