In coming to the defense of ex-teammate Michael Strahan, Jessie Armstead ripped Tiki Barber and New York Giants management on Tuesday.

	Armstead

Armstead, who has started 96 games in a row at linebacker, was released by the Giants and signed by the Washington Redskins this offseason. Strahan and the Giants recently broke off talks after failing to agree on a contract extension.

"I just wish the Giants organization wouldn't be such cowards," Armstead told reporters as the Redskins opened their first minicamp on Tuesday under new coach Steve Spurrier. "Be a man about the situation. Give me respect. Give me a call. You don't have to hide.

"One thing I give credit to (Redskins owner Dan) Snyder and guys like (Dallas owner) Jerry Jones, they step up and say, 'Hey, this is my team. I'm making the decisions.' Don't sit there and let it leak out to the media before you talk to the player. (I know) they let (my release) leak out because there's only three people who (knew) what was going on."

Armstead, who spent nine seasons with the Giants, said he recently talked to Strahan, who is coming off a season when the defensive end set the NFL single-season sack record with 22½.

"(I told Strahan,) 'No matter what happens, just go out and put it on that field,'" Armstead said. "And, 'You want to be a New York Giant, but do the New York Giants want (you)?' That's the big question right now."

The sticking point in the negotiations between Strahan and the Giants reportedly was the proposed signing bonus. The Giants wanted to pay $17 million over two years, and Strahan wanted it all at once. Barber was critical of Strahan for not accepting the two-tier bonus -- something that several other Giants had agreed to.

Armstead says Barber was out of line.

"Don't kiss (butt) to the organization by trying to talk about another player's contract," Armstead said. "You don't do that. Just like a fireman's got a code, a policeman's got a code, there's an unwritten code: You don't speak on another player's contract. We know it's a cutthroat game. A guy's got to get what he can get. And you've got the biggest example right here. Get what you can get, because you still can go to five Pro Bowls straight and play nine years and they can let you go."

Armstead also said his release, after being placed on the expansion list, was "personal," he said, and not cap-induced.

"Don't say it was a salary-cap move," Armstead said. "You would have saved money by keeping me there. Let's tell the truth: It was personal, and leave it at that. Don't lie to the fans and say it was a salary-cap move to make it seem like it was justified. You did what you did. It's your team. You can do anything you want to do."