Wide Receiver Plaxico Burress continues his whirlwind sweep through the NFL this weekend, as various coaches and general managers have been pitching him on joining their organizations. He started with his two former teams, visiting the New York Giants Friday evening, and then travelled to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers on Saturday.
Beyond his former teams, other suitors are lining up and expressing interest, including the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers.
Burress spent 90 minutes on Friday evening talking with Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, owner John Mara, and general manager Jerry Reese, along with several of his former teammates. ESPN reports that Reese characterized all of those meetings as “positive.” One teammate conspicuous by his absence was Eli Manning, who said he would welcome Burress back but who indicated that he wouldn’t get involved in recruiting him.
“It is not up to me,” Manning told reporters on Saturday. “They haven’t talked to me about it so we’ll see what they decide. I don’t think it is a situation for me to lobby and this or that. Obviously he has been here before and it is going to come down to what Coach Coughlin thinks and if he is mentally ready to come back and be a great teammate and if the ownership here has put everything behind.”
Following Friday night in New York, Burress travelled to Pittsburgh for Saturday meetings with the Steelers in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where they are holding their camp.
He had an early breakfast on Saturday with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, team president Art Rooney and director of football operations Kevin Colbert. This was followed by lunch with several of his former teammates, including quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich, wide receiver Hines Ward and linebacker James Farrior. Colbert characterized these meetings as “positive” to the Post-Gazette.
The New York Post reported today that Burress was planning to visit with the 49ers next, later in the day on Saturday, followed by a trip back to the east coast to meet with the Jets on Sunday.
His former teams are believed to have the inside track to land Burress, but ESPN has reported that “a source close to Burress” says that he is also very interested in the Philadelphia Eagles as a potential new home.
The Eagles have already had a busy offseason, landing prized free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, trading Kevin Kolb to Arizona for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, signing defensive linemen Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin, and then signing free-agent quarterback Vince Young to back up Michael Vick.
If the Eagles are able to pull off signing Burress as well, they will look like the Miami Heat of the NFL this offseason and instantly be the trendy pick for the Super Bowl next year in Indianapolis.
