New deal for Coughlin almost done

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New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese is no longer wearing two hats as he was at this time last year when he was both the team’s general manager and director of college scouting. But he still has plenty on his plate.

In addition to evaluating the 334 college prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine, he and the Giants are in the process of negotiating new contracts for head coach Tom Coughlin and two of their own potential free agents, safety Gibril Wilson and linebacker Kawika Mitchell.

"It’s close," Reese said on Saturday of Coughlin’s deal. "It’s not quite finished, but it should be done any time now."

As for Wilson and Mitchell, Reese was cautiously optimistic that something could be worked out.

"We’re in negotiations or conversations –- however you want to say that -– with both their agents," he said. "We’re trying to bang out some numbers and see what we can get done. The numbers have got to make sense for them and it’s got to make sense for us, so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully we can get it done."

The Giants might be tempted not to overpay for certain players, given the success they had without making a major splash in free agency before last season, but Reese doesn’t see it that way.

"It’s not the same template," he said. "If we have to spend more money ... actually we didn’t have a lot of money last year, to be honest with you. We have a little bit more money this time. If we have to spend more, we might do that."