Tom Coughlin has one more year remaining on his contract and it was initially believed he would be coming into the 2015 season as a lame duck coach, but sources say that may not be the case. On the other hand, safety Antrel Rolle is a free agent and it's unclear whether the Giants will be able to re-sign him.
On Thursday the New York Daily News reported the Giants and Coughlin "have had discussions about an extension" after speaking with the head coach at the NFL Combine. Coughlin has led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories during his tenure as coach, but the team has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and they're currently undergoing an overhaul on the offensive side of the ball. New York gave Coughlin a one-year extension prior to last season so he wouldn't be working into the final year of his deal.
"That part of it is underway," Coughlin said about a possible contract extension. "I don't think there's any big mystery. You don't have to be overly concerned about anything secretive. There's nothing to it, really."
The 68-year-old is 96-80 with the Giants including an 8-3 record in the postseason and two Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots. It was noted Coughlin's extension is likely to be short and could be another one-year deal.
However the team may face some issues with player personnel. One of the Giants' top veterans is scheduled to hit free agency on March 10 and it's unknown if they'll be able to bring him back. Safety Antrel Rolle signed a five-year, $37 million contract prior to the 2010 season and has been an integral part of the team's defense over that span. Giants' chairman John Mara expressed interest in retaining Rolle, and Coughlin shed some light on that possibility on Thursday.
"We'd like him to come back, obviously, we do have financial restrictions involved," he added at yesterday's press conference.
Rolle recently turned 32 years old and is among the top safeties to be available in free agency. The Giants have a number of contract issues to address, especially since they have $132 million committed to 2015, and the salary cap is expected to be $142 million once the league announces the new number.
Depending on how much Rolle is looking for, it's a possibility he will no longer be a New York Giant.
