<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>As distracting as Jeremy Shockey could be, members of the Giants organization were sorry to see him go on Monday. In fact, one person called it "a sad day" around Giants. But there is life after Shockey. And the Giants know from experience that it can be good. So the Giants will begin the post-Shockey era Thursday with a considerable amount of optimism when they report for training camp at the University at Albany. They got a taste of it in the winter, when they played six games and won a Super Bowl without the enigmatic tight end. And in his absence, they got a good look at what tight end Kevin Boss - and perhaps more importantly, third receiver Steve Smith - can do. "It's a good thing that we had some young receivers (and tight ends when Shockey got hurt)," offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said at minicamp last month. "I think our young receivers had a chance to grow up. You never know how they're going to respond when they're given an opportunity and it was nice to see them do that." In his six games without Shockey, Boss - a fourth-round pick out of Division II Western Oregon - had only nine catches for 140 yards. But he had a couple of key receptions, including a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, that got the Giants excited about his potential. He also apparently has added about 20 pounds to his 253-pound frame, which should help his blocking ability considerably. However, the Giants' bigger key to their post-Shockey success, could be Smith, a second-round pick out of USC who coincidentally returned from an 11-week absence due to shoulder and hamstring injuries the same week Shockey got hurt. It took him a few weeks to get back into a rhythm, but in the final five games - starting with the Giants' regular-season finale against New England - Smith had 17 catches for 181 yards. That includes his huge catch on third-and-11 in Super Bowl XLII that set up Plaxico Burress' game-winning touchdown. Boss will likely take over the starting job from Shockey, with Darcy Johnson and Michael Matthews filling the second tight end role. But Smith could end up picking up the majority of the catches Shockey left behind. Shockey's absence also could create more of a need for a fourth receiver, such as rookie Mario Manningham or third-year pro Sinorice Moss. Regardless of who else chips in, the spotlight will fall on Boss, who is so quiet and low-key he is the anti-Shockey. It could be a big adjustment for him to fill such a high-profile role. Replacing players of Shockey's caliber is never easy. But as Boss and the Giants learned during their Super Bowl run, it's not impossible.</div> <div align="center">Source: NY Daily News</div> I've almost given up hope on Sinorice, but I'm excited to see what Smith and Boss do with bigger roles in our offense.
