Giants' swift move could pay big dividends

With names like Shaun Alexander, Kevin Jones and Ron Dayne still dangling on the unemployment line, it still came as no surprise that general managers took immediate notice when Shane Olivea's four-game suspension was rescinded.

The former starting right tackle for the Chargers was generating interest from multiple teams after he was released Feb. 28. San Francisco was among the known suitors, but interest waned when Olivea was suspended June 20, meaning he would miss the first four games of the 2008 season.

When that decision was overturned Thursday, it only took the Giants a matter of hours to scoop him up with a one-year deal. Olivea lost his job in San Diego in large part because he tends to be streaky, but he does play with a nasty streak. And 26-year-old right tackles who have started 57 of 60 career regular-season games aren't easy to come by in July.

It was a no-brainer for the Giants, who had only inexperienced youngsters Guy Whimper and Adam Koets behind starters David Diehl and Kareem McKenzie. If Diehl or McKenzie went down, Whimper has only limited playing time in two seasons and Koets has yet to see regular-season action. Now the Giants have an outstanding insurance policy in Olivea, a former seventh-round pick who is in his prime.

Jobs of any kind are proving difficult for the trio of running backs to come by. Alexander clearly lost a step -- or two -- during his final two injury-plagued seasons in Seattle, and he and Dayne will have to accept backup roles if they're going to be in the league in 2008.
Jones has been diligently rehabbing from ACL surgery five months ago, and recently held a workout in front of representatives from Miami, Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Detroit. He ran the shuttle and cones and caught some passes. If he can prove he is healthy enough to at least participate in non-contact drills by early August, he should end up in someone's camp early enough to compete for significant carries.