EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Count some members of the New York Giants' defense as in favor of banning cut blocks from the league.
Speaking after practice Friday, and just days after Sports Illustrated reported that the NFL is considering banning blocks below the waist starting in 2013, Osi Umenyiora and Chris Canty said defensive players need to be considered, too, when the league talks about player safety.
"I don't understand for the life of me why they're still allowed right now," Umenyiora said of cut blocks. "I understand you want to slow the people down. But people are tearing their ACLs, getting hurt and maimed out there. It's not like our legs are any less valuable than a quarterback or an offensive player, so why not protect us also?
"You can't even touch a quarterback now without it being a fine, and $50,000 coming out of your pocket. But it's OK for them to cut me and tear my ACL and ruin my career, and eliminate the ability to put food in my family's mouth -- I don't think it's right at all."
Canty said the league should protect its defensive players, as well.
"If you're going to talk about player safety, you have defensive players in this league, too," Canty said. "And I think it's time that other people consider our safety and our well-being. A lot of the time the rules are such and the game is oriented towards protecting the offensive players -- they really don't pay a lot of attention and focus on protecting the defensive players, and it's unfortunate."