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As first reported on the team's official web site, the Giants today announced they have released veteran wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who played for the team the previous four seasons.
The status of Burress, 31, has been the subject of much conjecture since last Nov. 29, when he was wounded in an accidental shooting in a Manhattan nightclub. He was inactive for the Giants' victory in Washington the following day, then placed on the reserve/non-football injury list for the remainder of the season.
The team also fined Burress and suspended him for four games for conduct detrimental to the team.
The decision comes only two days after a grievance hearing regarding the team's decision to retain $1 million in signing bonus money that was earned last September and due to be paid in December -- after the accidental shooting.
Burress faces criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a felony carrying a minimum prison sentence of 3 1/2 years upon conviction. His trial on those charges has been adjourned until June 15.
All indications are the two sides are haggling over a plea deal for the star receiver. Multiple reports indicate that Burress' attorney, Benjamin Brafman, and prosecutors remain at odds over the terms. Not surprisingly, Burress is looking to avoid jail time; some jail time appears to be all but certain (predictions range from 3 to 12 months).
You have to believe the troubled wideout's uncertain legal status was an issue.
"I am an optimist, and I believe most situations can be worked out," general manager Jerry Reese told Giants.com staffer Michael Eisen in discussing the release. "We hung in there as long as we could in hopes that there could be a resolution to this situation other than the decision we made today to release Plaxico.
"It wasn't to be, so now we have to move on. Like everybody else here, we want nothing but the best for Plaxico, and we are appreciative of the contributions he made to this franchise."
In his four years with the Giants Burress caught 344 passes, which places him 12th on the franchise's career list. Burress had 3,681 receiving yards and caught 33 touchdown passes for the Giants.
"Plaxico's contribution to our championship season in 2007 can never be underestimated or undervalued," head coach Tom Coughlin said upon the receiver's release. "He displayed tremendous determination throughout that season. Having said that, I have always been as concerned about Plaxico as a man as I have been about him as a player, and my hope is that everything that has happened over the past several months represents a turning point.
"He is a young man with a family who has a whole lifetime ahead of him, and I personally wish him and his family well."
Burress joined the Giants as an unrestricted free agent on March 17, 2005. In his first season with the team, he played in all 16 games -- plus the NFC Wild Card Game -- and led the team with 76 receptions (the fifth-highest total in Giants history) and 1,214 yards (second-highest). He also tied for the team lead with seven touchdown catches.
In 2006, Burress started all 15 regular season games in which he played, as well as the NFC Wild Card Game. He led the Giants with 988 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches. His 63 receptions were second on the team, trailing only Jeremy Shockey (66).
Burress started all 20 regular season and postseason games in the 2007 championship season despite an ankle injury that kept him out of practice virtually the entire season. He led the Giants with 70 receptions, 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 12 touchdown receptions were a career high.
He caught at least one touchdown pass in each of the Giants' first six games (he had eight overall in that span) that season.
Burress joined the Giants after playing his first five NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he played 71 games and caught 261 passes for 4,164 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Steelers selected Burress with the eighth overall selection of the 2000 NFL Draft.
His career totals are 505 receptions for 7,845 yards and 55 touchdowns. With three catches last Nov. 2 against Dallas, Burress became the 101st player in NFL history with at least 500 receptions.
At this point it's safe to say Burress' long-term future in the league will largely be determined by the outcome of the weapons case. In the shorter term -- on the off chance he catches a break in the courtroom, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will have a major say in Burress' availability to sign with another team. ...
Meanwhile, in a semi-related note. ... Newark Star-Ledger staffer Mike Garafolo reports that former Brown and current Buccaneer Kellen Winslow appeared on "The Afternoon Drive" on Sirius Radio Thursday.
When asked if he believes Braylon Edwards will remain with Cleveland this season (remember, the Browns held trade discussions with the Giants about Edwards, though some contend the talks were merely preliminary), Winslow indicated the former No. 3 overall pick would be heading elsewhere soon -- perhaps to the Giants.
"For some reason I don't," Winslow said. "I know Braylon would love to go to New York. The Giants would fit him to the 'T' and he would have so much fun up there. I know he loves Cleveland but New York would be a great fit for him. ... He would love it there. He's a city guy and, yeah, I know he would love it there."
While there's obviously an opening in New York, the current consensus says the Browns hold onto one of the few offensive playmakers remaining on their roster.