Plaxico Burress is now a free man.
After having served two years in a state prison for gun possession at a New York night club in 2008, when the Super Bowl winning wide receiver accidentally shot himself in the foot, while having a good time with fellow former Giant Antonio Pierce, Burress is now free.
Arguing whether Buress deserved the harsh sentence is an argument long ago in the past. I personally believe that Buress didn't deserve the harsh sentence. Yes, his punishment was for possessing an illegal fire arm, but he never pointed the gun at anyone, never shot anybody, and certainly didn't commit as heinous as crime as say Michael Vick, who got a similar two year sentence for killing and mutilating dogs.
The Giants probably won't bring back Buress at all this year, if there is a football season in 2011. Even though the memory of Buress making the winning touchdown catch in the end zone of Super Bowl XLII three short years ago is still engrained in the memory of Giant fans alike, the G-Men would be foolish to bring him back.
Buress was a trouble maker in New York long before the gun incident. Consistently late for team meetings, and causing head coach Tom Coughlin to pull his hair out of his head, because of his lazy personality on and off the field, Buress was a handful.
Plus the 2011 New York Giants are solid at wide receiver. From Steve Smith to Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks the Giants have three good receivers for Eli Manning to throw to.
With that trio of receivers, Manning has had the two best seasons of his life. He threw for 4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2009, and 4,002 yards with 31 touchdowns in 2010. Sure you can never have enough talent, but at 33 years-old, and assuming there is a season, what does Buress really have left?
He could be a cheap option for the Giants this summer, but if they want to move on, no one will blame them.
Rumor has it the Philadelphia Eagles would target Buress, and vice versa. The Eagles are no strangers to bringing in jail birds into their nest, having nabbed Vick in 2009, and reaped the benefits of that gamble in 2010, when Vick earned Pro Bowl honors as the team's starting quarterback.
The Eagles have Mr. Everything in DeShaun Jackson, but lack any true depth behind him at wide receiver. A tandem of Burress and Jackson is hard to pass up in Philadelphia for an Eagles team that will try to hold off both the Giants and Cowboys this season for the NFC East title.
If Burress behaves himself, he will be a great addition to any team. It is hard to find receivers who possess the size and skills that Burress had when he was in his prime. Plus if the Michael Vick experience is any indication, then Burress may still have something left in his legs.
Now all Burress has to do is wait even more, because he returns from prison waiting liking everyone else as the 2011 NFL season remains in limbo.
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