EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Cornerback Terrell Thomas opted to pass on the free agent market and re-signed with the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants on Tuesday.
Thomas missed last season on injured reserve after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a preseason game against Chicago. The 27-year-old expects to be ready for training camp.
"I definitely wanted to come back here. This is home for me," Thomas said. "Coming off an injury, it's better to come back to the same team. You know the personnel and the staff, and they know you. You know the defense. My first choice was here, but I did open my eyes a little bit to free agency in case the Giants didn't re-sign me.
"I'm happy to be back."
Thomas said the two sides agreed on contract terms over the weekend and ironed out the final details over the past two days. Terms were not disclosed.
Thomas led the Giants with five interceptions in 2010 and his re-signing puts the status of Aaron Ross in doubt. The former first-round draft pick regained his starting spot when Thomas was injured but he might be the odd man out with Thomas joining Corey Webster and Prince Amukamara, the team's first-round pick last year, in the cornerback rotation.
"My knee feels great," said Thomas, who started every game for the Giants in 2009 and 2010. "I'm sprinting - almost - backpedaling, cutting, jumping, lunging, doing all that stuff. So, now the fun starts in the rehab process, which is opening up to everything."
Tom Coughlin also completed his coaching staff, announcing the hiring of Matt Rhule as assistant offensive line coach and Lunda Wells as the team's offensive assistant.
Rhule, who spent the past six seasons at Temple, replaces Jack Bicknell, Jr., who left to become the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line coach. Wells, who had been at LSU since 2008, takes over for Kevin M. Gilbride, who was promoted to receivers coach after Sean Ryan was named the quarterbacks' coach.
A former player at Penn State, Rhule coached at the collegiate level for 14 seasons, including the last six at Temple, where last year he was the co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. He has also coached as Western Carolina, UCLA and the University at Buffalo. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Penn State in the spring of 1998 before working at Albright College for the 1998 season.
Wells started at LSU as a volunteer. More recently, he was responsible for preparing breakdowns of tape and helping with special teams preparations.
The Giants also signed cornerbacks Michael Coe and Justin Tryon, tackle Joel Reinders and tight end Larry Donnell. Coe and Tryon played part of last season for New York and were unrestricted free agents.
Coe moved up the depth chart after Thomas was hurt and played in the first 10 games before suffering a shoulder injury. He was put on injured reserve. Tryon joined the team Oct. 4 after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts. He played in three games before breaking his arm in a victory over Miami on Oct. 30. He was also put on injured reserve.
Reinders was in camp with the Cleveland Browns in 2010. He did not play football last season.
Donnell played at Grambling State from 2007-10, catching 38 passes for 432 yards and 11 touchdowns.
