Giants Sign Amukamara

With all eyes on Osi Umenyiora at Giants camp this week, it was easy to overlook a quieter drama: the absence of the first-round pick Prince Amukamara.

That smaller mystery has been solved: Amukamara became the final first-round pick of the 2011 draft to agree to a contract.

Terms of the new deal, reached Thursday night, were not disclosed. ESPN reports that the contract is similar in structure to those of 17th overall pick Nate Solder (Patriots) and 18th pick Nate Liuget (Chargers), who came to terms on their contracts earlier in the day. Amukamara was the 19th overall selection in the draft.

The new rookie wage scale, one of the key elements of the newly-ratified collective bargaining agreement, was implemented not only to control rookie salaries but to end long holdouts by first round picks. The new scale worked – all rookies are signed less than two weeks after the league officially opened for business – but there is still room for negotiation within the system. All first-round picks receive four-year contracts under the new scale, but the fourth year does not have to be guaranteed.

When Adrian Clayborn, selected 20th overall by the Buccaneers, received a fourth year guarantee, it reportedly became a sticking point in the negotiations of several other players. A few earlier selections did not get a fourth guaranteed year. The last holdouts, including Amukamara, were all players selected just ahead of Claybourn.

Amakumara’s six-day holdout was brief compared to the sagas of past years, when negotiations with top picks often dragged on for weeks. Still, the duration of Amukamara’s negotiations surprised team officials. General Manager Jerry Reese said last Friday that the contract was mostly completed. Coach Tom Coughlin said on Thursday that the two sides were so close that he had hoped to see Amukamara in Wednesday night’s practice.

Amukamara, the son of Nigerian émigrés, was a two-year starter and team captain at cornerback at University of Nebraska. He recorded five interceptions in his college career and earned a reputation as one of the most physical players in the nation at his position. He is expected to compete for a starting job as a rookie.

Amukamara arrives just as the Giants lose another cornerback: Bruce Johnson suffered an Achilles injury in Thursday night’s practice. Johnson started five games for the Giants in 2009 and saw limited playing time in 2010.