Q: Long journey back?A: Yeah. I'm glad to be here. There's no other place that I want to be.
Q: Were you worried that you wouldn't be back here?A: I didn't know. I just let my agent handle it. I really wanted to be here. I love New York. I love this organization, the coaches here, my teammates. I always wanted to come back the whole time we've been off.
Q: You were talking a lot about the Dolphins.A: It's all in the business. I really didn't know about the Dolphins, but now that I'm here, I'm happy.
Q: What are your impressions of free agency after your first time through it?A: It's just a process. Just like you said. This is all a business. I've been put through it and I got pushed right in it. Like I said, just got to take it slow and see how it happens.
Q: Is the business surprising in that you go in thinking you're going to get 'this much' and at the end you get 'this much?'A: Right, it really is. We didn't get what we expected to get, but I'm happy with what I got. I love the Giants and I wanted to be here and that's what I wanted.
Q: Did it mean something to you that Brandon accepted less?A: He loves me and I respect him more than anything for doing that. He called me when he did it and he's like, 'I want you here.' Like I said, this is where I wanted to be.
Q: It was a risk on his part. He could have signed it and you could have ended up somewhere else.A: I don't know anything about it.
Q: Did he tell you that you owe him anything?A: No. He hasn't yet.
Q: But you're expecting it?A: Yeah, of course. I'll give him whatever he wants.
Q: How are you physically?A: I feel great. I've been in Miami with the best trainers there. I trained with Pete Bommarito (sp?) for two, three months and I feel tremendous.
Q: Did you have a cleanout or something like that?A: In February. Yes, I had the one in my left ankle. It was nothing really wrong with my ankle, just a lot of junk in it. Like I said, I feel great. My ankles feel tremendous.
Q: How curious are you to see how the offensive line is going to shake out?A: We lost a lot of great guys and then Richie [Seubert] and Shaun [O'Hara]. The guys we've got, I'm sure they have talent and I can't wait to see what they have.
Q: Do you hope that Bear Pascoe remains at fullback?A: We have a great replacement. Bear did great last season. I think if he has to do the job this year, he'll be fine.
Q: When you heard that Jason Snelling was coming to visit, did you take it as a sign the Giants might be moving on?A: No. We have two different talents. He's a big back, just like Brandon [Jacobs], I guess. It was no threat to me. Like I said, I just do my part. All I can hope is that the Giants [like] what they saw in me and gave me a contract.
Q: Is there an upside to sharing the load with Brandon?A: Of course. We kind of take it to that part, just because it keeps us healthy and you last longer in the game. You have to look towards the end of your career too.
Q: What do you think about the DeAngelo Williams contract?A: He's a great back. The Panthers have a different situation with that than us and I guess they handled it that way.
Q: When you went into this did you look look at him and look at you and say you should be valued in the same range?A: We're the same talents. Like I said, he's a great back. He does a lot of the same things I do. I felt that way too, but like I said, it's a business and the situation I was in, being a free agent.
Q: Would you be okay with Brandon Jacobs getting more carries?A: That's fine. Like I say, he's a big brother to me. I'll share whatever I have with him. Like I said, keeps us healthy and makes the team better.
Q: Were you hearing a lot of lobbying? Were a lot of guys calling?A: A lot of teammates were. They really wanted me back.
Q: Anyone do anything creative?A: No. Just Brandon [Jacobs], he called every day.
Q: Before he signed did he say, 'I'm not going to sign if you don't come back?'
A: No, he didn't. Like I said, we talked every day. He wanted me back and I could tell.
Q: The fact that you couldn't practice until today, did that enter into why you signed when you signed?A: No. I didn't think about it that way. Like I said, I've been training as hard as I can regardless of when I can practice. Like I said, it didn't factor into it.
Q: Some guys in your situation have signed one-year deals to show themselves. Was that a consideration?A: Yeah, sure. I just wanted to come out and give it my all – whatever contract I had, how much ever it was. I'm going to give it my all every time I touch the field.
Q: Were Cincinnati and Washington in the mix?A: Towards the end. It wasn't really too much. Like I said, I've always been a Giant the whole time.
Q: Was it emotionally trying?A: Yeah, of course. It's just stressful thinking about it. Like I say, all I can do is stay healthy and keep getting better off the field.
Q: Do you have any goals this year?A: Of course. You always want to be better than last year and I just want to make this team a better team as much as I can – running the ball, protecting Eli, or whatever's on me.
Q: Have you done anything in the offseason to get better at protecting the ball?A: Of course. I've worked on just the strength of holding the ball in my hands, everything. Wrist protection, everything.
Q: You've always been a guy who's run with a chip on his shoulder. Will this contract lessen some of that?A: No. Like I said, I touch the field, you're going to get everything you've gotten. I love this game and regardless of how much money I have, I'm always going to give my all.
Q: Tom Coughlin said there might be times where it's smarter to go down and not fight for extra yards to risk turnovers. Is that going to be difficult for you?A: Of course it will. It will be a change. I'm always going to fight for an extra yard, regardless. I just have to keep [the ball] close to my body, keep [the ball] tight.
Q: Is there a way to fight for the extra yard and protect the ball?A: It's like a habit, putting [your arm] up in the air, sort of like this, when you're trying to fight for an extra yard and use your shoulders much and just tuck it away.
Q: Was your wrist also a factor towards the end of last season?A: Yeah. I had a small fracture in it. Like I said, I feel tremendous now. There's nothing wrong with my wrist, I'm able to cup the ball now with my left. I can't complain or use it as an excuse for my fumbles. Like I said, I'm fine now.
Q: Is this enough prep time for you?A: Of course. Like I said, I'm ready. I've been on the field since we left. I've been wanting to play football. That's the love of my life.
Q: When can you actually put pads on? You still have to wait?A: I'm not even sure. Yeah, I guess.
Q: Will you or have you bought anything to reward yourself?A: Not yet.
Q: Is there one thing you're thinking of?A: I just want to take care of my kids.
