Giants DT Barry Cofield: 'I Want My Fair Chance To Go Out There And Secure My Future'

[Mr. P]

Growing up a Cleveland Indians fan, Barry Cofield has certainly experienced plenty of hurt.

 

So perhaps it was fitting he was sitting in Progressive Field last month, watching his hometown team play, when he received a flurry of text messages telling him the Giants had drafted a defensive tackle in the second round for the second straight year.

 

Except for one thing: Cofield felt no hurt. Just a pang for a shot to get what he deserves.

 

“It almost gave me a sense of closure. It just made me think my time’s probably up,” Cofield said Tuesday after a workout at TEST Sports Clubs in Martinsville. “I don’t feel pressure, uptightness or anger when they draft a guy. I just want my fair chance.

 

“They gave me my fair chance last year. I went on the field and proved it. And now I want my fair chance to go out there and secure my future.”

 

Cofield has been waiting for that chance for more than a year now.

 

A five-year starter who has 10 1/2 sacks (including a career-high four last season) and has missed only one game to injury, Cofield has been a bargain for the Giants since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2006. He completed a four-year contract worth approximately $2.5 million and then, because of the uncapped season last year, made an additional $1.7 million for his fifth year of service as a restricted free agent.

 

Cofield is hardly roughing it, and he understands that. But as he looked at the depth chart, he might be considered underpaid. He lined up next to Chris Canty ($7 million average per season) and played ahead of last year’s second-round pick Linval Joseph, whose signing bonus was nearly as big as Cofield’s base salary last season.

 

Now, with the lockout still in place and the draft having preceded free agency, Cofield watched his leverage shrink when the Giants drafted Marvin Austin and other teams also selected defensive tackles.

 

So when he sees players such as Reggie Bush and Wes Welker saying they’re enjoying the lockout while watching owners use those statements against the players’ argument of “irreparable harm” caused by the lockout, Cofield gets riled up.

 

“It really pisses me off," Cofield said. “My career and some other guys, it’s the definition of irreparable harm. I’m not going to get last year back. That’s a year off my career, a year of pounding on my body. And this offseason I’m not going to get back. Doing the draft before free agency, that hurts a lot of guys. It definitely hurt me.”

 

To be clear, Cofield has no bitterness toward the Giants but rather toward his situation in general. Drafting a player at his position “is their right, but it should be my right to be a free agent.” So far the closest he has come was when the Giants worked out a trade with the Saints before the second round of last year’s draft — a deal contingent on Cofield quickly working out a contract extension with New Orleans. It didn’t happen, and Cofield remained a Giant.

 

“I get put on the clock to say, ‘Hey, decide what you want to do with the next four years of your life in the next 20 minutes.’ That’s not free agency, that’s not giving me a chance to do what’s best for me,” Cofield said. “That wasn’t a fair shake, so hopefully it could be a better scenario this year. ... It gets to a point where it’s not all about what you want, being with your friends and having a fairy tale ending. Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you.”

 

Asked if he believes he’s played his last down as a Giant — the Rams, Saints, Broncos, Redskins, Bears and Seahawks are his most likely alternate landing spots — Cofield would only say that will be the case if he’s asked to play again under a restricted free-agent tender (likely slightly less than $2 million). That might very well be the case, which is why Cofield wants to remind everyone the lockout is a “vacation” for only a select few.

 

“I’m doing the same thing (as every offseason) except I’m doing it with no peace of mind and no security,” he said. “There’s nothing pleasant about it. ... For some of the guys to say they’re enjoying the time off, it’s selfish and shortsighted.”

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/05/giants_dt_barry_cofield_i_want.html

[TrashTalker92]

Great to hear it from a player of his status. I hope the giants sign him but it's less than likely. Smart move for not signing that saints contract else he be forever overrated/underpaid.

[Nas]

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/05/giants_dt_barry_cofield_i_want.html

 

Canty made $7M and Cofield made $1.7M.. that is unfair.

[NeMesiS]

Canty made $7M and Cofield made $1.7M.. that is unfair.

No, what's really unfair is Rocky Benard is still on team.

[boohyah]

To be clear, Cofield has no bitterness toward the Giants

 

 

If he doesn't there's something wrong with him.

[Mr. P]

No, what's really unfair is Rocky Benard is still on team.

 

No, what's really unfair is we used a 2nd round pick last year on a DT who couldn't move above Rocky Bernard in the rotation.

[Nas]

No, what's really unfair is Rocky Benard is still on team.

 

That too.. but Cofield's been fare more superior than Canty imho.

[hlb37]

with the union decertified and the whole mess in the courts, we may wind up with an uncapped season AND the voiding of all existing contracts.

 

It would definitely make for an interesting summer but ultimately, most of the players and retirees would suffer.

[NightFire]

To be clear, Cofield has no bitterness toward the Giants

 

 

If he doesn't there's something wrong with him.

 

Yeah Smith and Cofield have showed nothing but class while being taken advantage of but they will get their payday eventually. To be honest they should have been more pissy because one major injury, **Cough** Possibly Smith **Cough**, and no money for you. This is why the league really needs to clamp down on rookie wages.

[Treehugger]

Canty made $7M and Cofield made $1.7M.. that is unfair.

"Unfair" is a bullshit playground concept that doesn't apply here. Their contracts are independent of each other as were their situations at signing.

 

All it really means is that we paid way too much for Canty.