The only problem is they can’t use the “original round” tender since he went undrafted…well they could but NYG would sign him right back.

He can spend the year getting healthy and learning the NE offense in the meantime, insurance incase something happens to Gronk or Aaron.

Brilliant move to be honest.

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And that’s why they just signed Gronk to a huge extension – when they were unsure of his ankle????

No – this might have more to do with Hernandez contract negotiations, but not Gronk.

And for those who note that he’s a free agent and will never play in N.E. – you’ve missed the point that he’s an exclusive rights free agent.

Meaning the Pats can match any offer and keep him.

He might or might not play this season but if Gronk or Hernandez suffers a new injury they’ve got a pretty good Plan B ready to go.

For all of you who chose to ignore facts;

1) He won’t play this season
2) His contract ends this when this season ends. He won’t be staying with NE.
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Wrong.
In the highly-likely event he doesn’t play this year he’ll be an exclusive rights free agent next off season, meaning all N.E. will have to do is offer him the veteran minimum. If he does play he’ll be a RFA at seasons end.

The Giants waive Ballard because he’s injured and they don’t want to pay him. They apparently are the victims here… After all who doesn’t like an employer who retains your rights but doesn’t want to pay you?

Belchick has the temerity to actually want to pay they guy a half a million to rehab, so, apparently he is the villain… Most people can’t stand employers like that anyways.

If the Giants wanted to keep him all they had to do is what Belichick did. Pay the man.

Seems to me 31 other teams and their fans may just be mad at Belichick because their GMs, including the Giants, was asleep at the switch.

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Giants would of still had to pay him his salary when he was on IR, so you’re argument is moot.

The reason they waived him was so that they could get him on the IR and not have him take up space on the roster.

But as someone previously mention the Giants appreciated what he did this past season but feel that they have the same value or better in their recent TE pickups.

Whether Bill B. did this to “stick it” to the Giants I doubt it. How would you like to explain to your boss that your revenge move cost the company half a million.

They see value in him, so they picked him up. The Giants didn’t see the value to the extent that the Pats did (in taking a roster spot).

Not to mention that the TE was the least targeted position for the Giants last season and the most targeted for the Pats, but we all know how that turned out.

So let me get this straight. Now that Pats have to waive Ballard and expose him to waivers or carry him on the 90-man roster even though he can’t play in 2012. If the Pats waive him, the Giants have to reclaim his contract. Who wins in this situation?

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If the Patriots waive him after the roster cut down, no one may claim him (if the Giants waived him at 90, why would they claim him later) and the Patriots can put him on their reserve/PUP list.

Well the Pats finally got their revenge. Afterall they certainly werent going to get it on the football field since the Giants own them.

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Maybe so, but the Patriots won’t have to worry about them again for 3 years when they will meet in the regular season since the Giants won’t make the playoffs again.

1) He won’t play this season
2) His contract ends this when this season ends. He won’t be staying with NE. He will go to a team where he will be a starter. He may come back to NY, he may not. It will depend on whether there’s an opening for him in NY. He won’t be in NE.
3) Mike Pope is the greatest TE coach in the NFL. Even opposing GMs admit that. I wish Ballard well, but let’s see how well he does without Pope working with him every day.
4) Some of the same trolls and a large number of Raiders fans predicted the Giants doom when Oakland “stole” Boss away. How did that work for all parties involved? Giants got another ring and Boss fell flat in Oakland and now plays for a conference rival.
5) Giants drafted Adrien Robinson. The guy has all the tools, but is raw. Just like Ballard was coming out of college. If Mike Pope can’t turn Robinson into a stud, no one can. My money is on Pope.

William is a petty, small man.

“We’ll get a taste this year with Scaife in the game, but if Ballard comes back to form, this will be a scary offense for a couple years until the AFC East gets rid of the cover corners and puts 5 LBs with cover skills into the box… then the Pats will go back to a spread and win the deep game again…”

So …we’re aiming at 2013 now, Pats fans?

For half a million Belichick retained the rights to the top free agent of 2013 and might even be able to play him this season.

It’s like he just got a top ten draft pick in 2013 without expending a draft pick.

notice how all of the discussion and quotes are coming from the media. Coughlin isn’t whining about unfairness or unwritten rules. nor is Mara, Reese, Eli etc. every year we turn an undrafted or low pic into am NFL player ( Cruz, boss, Bradshaw, j. Williams, Ballard, etc)

keep whining. the giants will be fine

The Giants waive Ballard because he’s injured and they don’t want to pay him. They apparently are the victims here… After all who doesn’t like an employer who retains your rights but doesn’t want to pay you?

Belchick has the temerity to actually want to pay they guy a half a million to rehab, so, apparently he is the villain… Most people can’t stand employers like that anyways.

If the Giants wanted to keep him all they had to do is what Belichick did. Pay the man.

Seems to me 31 other teams and their fans may just be mad at Belichick because their GMs, including the Giants, was asleep at the switch.

Ballard’s gonna be just fine on the Pattys squad next year. Apparently no one that is a fan of the Giants is aware of how the waiver wire works.

Go pats.