Giants pay to keep Manning protected

Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 8, 2008

Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ó Offensive tackle David Diehl signed a two-year extension with the New York Giants that will keep him under contract with the Super Bowl champions through the 2013 season.
Diehl, who had four years left on an extension he signed in 2005, will earn $31 million under terms of the new deal.
The extension was worked out over the past month, Peter Schaffer, Diehlís agent said in a telephone interview.
iI think the Giants, in terms of organizations in the NFL, have a great history of treating their players fairly,î Schaffer said.
Diehl has been a starter since being taken by the Giants in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. He has started 80 straight regular-season games.
The versatile lineman started 16 at right guard as a rookie and moved to right tackle in 2004. Over the next two seasons he started 30 games at left guard, but he also made one start at right tackle and one at left tackle. He moved to left tackle for the 2007 championship season.
iIíll play any position they put me on the field because I know thatís what I need to do to help our football team win games,î Diehl said Wednesday in an interview with NFL Sirius Radio.
Diehl said that the Giants approached him about the extension.
iI just went out there and worked hard and played my position well and everything worked out with the Giants,î he said. iAnd the best thing about it is I get to be a Giant for the rest of my career, which I wanted to do and be in the place that I started at and thereís no better feeling than that.î