It’s not just Giants fans that still seem obsessed and salty about losing receiver Steve Smith. Even New York’s coaching staff is still talking about Smith in the wake of the team’s recent Brandon Stokley signing.
“We had wanted all along Steve Smith back and that was the objective, that was the hope and the expectation,” Giants’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said via Newsday. “But when that didn’t happen, then we have two young guys that we think can do it [Victor Cruz and Jernal Jernigan].
“How fast will they be able to evolve into the experienced receiver that you need at that spot where everything is happening so quickly inside? The powers above me made that decision and we needed to add this additional receiver.”
Gilbride went on to say nice things about Stokley (again mentioning Smith) but it didn’t seem like Gilbride embraced the move.
Call us crazy, but Gilbride may be calling out the team’s front office for letting Smith get away. Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger tells us Gilbride brought up Smith’s unprompted in back-to-back weeks.
If nothing else, Gilbride seems to be distancing himself from the Stokley signing.