Ahmad Bradshaw, whose 1,235 rushing yards were the seventh-highest single-season total in Giants history and left him fourth in the NFC and ninth in the NFL, re-signed with the team after investigating his options as a free agent.
"Having Ahmad, a great playmaker, a guy who knows the offense, should be able to step right in and make a lot of plays for us," quarterback Eli Manning said. "(He is) good catching the ball and running the ball. (I'm) glad to have him back."
The Giants brought back another player familiar to Manning in wide receiver Michael Clayton, who played the final six games of the 2010 season.
"(He is) a veteran receiver, knows the little tricks of the trade at receiver – how to get open," Manning said. "Last year, (we) brought him in in the middle of the season, took a little while to learn the offense. Now (he has) a full training camp to continue to grow within the offense. (He) already has a good base. (I) worked with him this summer. Good to have him in. We have a young receiver corps, (he) brings a little knowledge to that group."
While bolstering their skill positions, the Giants also continued to reshape their offensive line today by adding Stacy Andrews, less than a week after releasing his brother, Shawn.
According to the terms of the new CBA, the team's three newest acquisitions cannot practice until the new CBA has been ratified by the players, which is expected to be tomorrow.
Andrews, 6-6 and 318 pounds, is entering his eighth NFL season. He played five years for the Cincinnati Bengals and one apiece for the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks. He has played in 85 games with 46 starts and has lined up at both guard and tackle.
In the last week, the Giants have released linemen Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and Shawn Andrews and signed veterans David Baas, Chris White and Stacy Andrews.
Bradshaw, a five-year veteran, had a breakout year in 2010. He was 12th in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,549 and led the Giants with four 100-yard games, including a Giants season-high of 133 yards in a victory over Detroit on Oct. 17.
Bradshaw's 47 receptions were a career high and led all Giants who didn't play wide receiver.
With Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs (823) the Giants were one of just two teams in 2010 with two 800-yard rushers. Kansas City was the other (with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones). It was just the second time the Giants had two 800-yard runners in the same season.
Clayton, an eight-year veteran and former first-round draft choice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed with the Giants on Nov. 24. He played in six games at wide receiver and on special teams and had two catches for 19 yards, both at Washington in the season finale.
The Giants' newest Andrews, Stacy, played in 13 games with 12 starts in 2010 for the Seahawks, who acquired him in a trade with Philadelphia on Sept. 5. Seattle intended to use Andrews at tackle, but an injury to Max Unger forced him to play guard. After appearing as a reserve in the season opener, Andrews started the next 12 games at right guard. He was inactive for the final three games of the season.
In 2009, Andrews played in 10 games with two starts for the Eagles, who signed him as a free agent early that year.
Andrews entered the NFL as the Cincinnati Bengals' fourth-round draft choice in 2004, the 123rd overall selection. He played in only one game as a rookie and in 14 games, primarily on special teams, in 2005. In 2006, Andrews played in every game, including his first three career starts at right guard. He started 14 games in 2007 and 15 in 2008, his final year in Cincinnati.
Andrews did not play football at Fairview High School in Arkansas, concentrating on basketball and track. He went to the University of Mississippi to compete in track and field, but went out for the football team in 2002 and was redshirted. Andrews played in only five college games in 2003 before he was drafted by the Bengals.
Shawn Andrews, who is 1½ years younger than Stacy, signed with the Giants on Aug. 19, 2010 after sitting out most of the previous two seasons with back injuries. He played in 13 games with 7 starts, including four at left tackle.
