EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The Giants on Friday released running back Brandon Jacobs after seven years in New York.
Jacobs, 29, ran for 571 yards and seven touchdowns last season as the Giants won the Super Bowl. He wanted to stay with the champions, but a restructured deal could not be agreed to by both parties, signaling the end of a solid Giants career.
In fact, he is the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history with 4,849 yards, but saw his role diminish with the emergence of Ahmad Bradshaw. Jacobs won two Super Bowl titles as a Giant.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2005, Jacobs rushed for 56 touchdowns. He had 1,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008, but his carries and yardage dipped the past two seasons. He gained 823 yards in 2010, and had just 152 carries and a 3.8-yard average last season.
Bradshaw, who has battled foot injuries in recent years, will be backed up next season by D.J. Ware and Da'Rel Scott, who saw little action this past season as a rookie. Former draft pick Andre Brown spent last season on the Giants practice squad. He, too, could figure into the mix.
Jacobs expressed hopes, after the 21-17 Super Bowl win over New England, that he would be able to work out a deal and stay with the Giants. But with other needs, and a salary cap to manage, New York had other ideas.
Jacobs was drafted out of Southern Illinois, but began his career at Coffeyville Community College and transferred to Auburn before finally settling in with the Salukis.
