And according to good friend and former teammate Brandon Jacobs, Burress will not be returning to the New York Giants once the lockout ends.
"He isn't coming to the Giants," Jacobs added. "He's got options. I would love for him to be a part of the Giants. I don't think that is even on his plate."
Jacobs has placed the Philadelphia Eagles as the leading candidate to land Burress once football resumes because of Burress' friendship with Michael Vick and the fact that the Eagles are loaded with talent offensively.
Both Vick and Burress grew up in the Virginia Beach area.
"I would hate to see him go to where I think he is going to go, that is from talking to him," Jacobs said of the Eagles when asked if he was talking about Philadelphia. "It is pretty tough to deal with all those different combinations. Plax is a Virginia guy, Vick is a Virginia guy. They went through sort of the same things and they got a lot of dynamic players down there. It wouldn't be a bad thing, he thinks, to go down there. He wants to win."
Jacobs is one of Burress' best friends and has remained in constant contact with the wide receiver, who accidentally shot himself in the thigh in November 2008. Burress pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He's eligible for time off for good behavior, so his prison time will end Monday after serving 21 months of his two-year sentence.
Jacobs said he is "so sure" of Burress' thinking "because I talk to him once a week."
"He doesn't think there is anything wrong with the organization," Jacobs said of the Giants. "He just wants a new start."
"I'm way excited for (him)," Jacobs added of Burress' pending release. "He will get his opportunity. I am super happy for him and his family. His kids were over at my house a couple days ago. His wife seems super happy. It is a great thing for him to be coming home."
Tuck, who hosted a celebrity billiards tournament to raise money for his R.U.S.H. for Literacy foundation, is one of several Giants who want Burress back. When asked if he will talk to general manager Jerry Reese and ownership about a Burress reunion once the lockout ends, Tuck said he will continue what he started before the lockout began.
"I'm already campaigning," Tuck said prior to Jacobs' comments about Burress being unlikely to return to the Giants. "I was campaigning before the lockout started. I will say this much, go back and see what our record was when he shot himself and how devastating our offense was. You had to take a safety out of the box (against him). With our O-line and our running game, that opens up a lot of stuff. I'm excited. I hope we can get No. 17 back to Giants Stadium."
“The Giants were 10-1 in 2008 before Burress shot himself that Nov. 28. The Giants made the postseason that year but have not been back since.Plax is a Virginia guy, Vick is a Virginia guy. They went through sort of the same things and (the Eagles) got a lot of dynamic players down there. It wouldn't be a bad thing, he thinks, to go (to Philadelphia). He wants to win."
” -- Brandon Jacobs, pictured
Tuck thinks the Giants and Burress make a lot of sense in 2011.
"I would think it is somewhere he would be comfortable, he knows everybody there and he knows the system," said Tuck, who also is friends with Burress. "He had great chemistry with Eli (Manning) and he has a lot of friends on this team and a team that wants him here. I am sure there are going to be a lot of teams that will want him."
"I can't speak for Plaxico," Tuck added. "He has a mind of his own and he knows what he wants to do. Coming from the captain of the New York Giants, I would love to have Plaxico back here in Giants blue."
Jacobs would love to convince Burress to return to the Giants but the running back mentioned his own uncertain future. Jacobs is under contract for two more seasons and will earn $4.65 million in 2011 and $4.9 million in 2012.
The Giants also want to re-sign starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who will either be a restricted or unrestricted free agent. Keeping both running backs could be difficult if the Giants have to give Bradshaw a big contract.
"If I knew where I would be next year, if I knew for a fact that I would be around -- no one knows anything now -- I would be trying to talk (Burress) into it," said Jacobs, who wants to return to the Giants and play with Bradshaw and Burress. "He wants to explore his options."
Ohm Youngmisuk covers the Giants for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.
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