Rhett Bomar gets a big opportunity

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Rhett Bomar came into training camp this year as the New York Giants' third-string quarterback, hoping to secure a spot on the team and compete with Jim Sorgi to become Eli Manning's backup.

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AP Photo/Gail BurtonRhett Bomar has talent, but is very inexperienced.

Now, with Sorgi placed on injured reserve Monday, Bomar is the New York Giants' second-string quarterback. And he hopes to give coach Tom Coughlin every reason to believe he is capable of being Manning's insurance policy.

Bomar will play most of the Giants' preseason finale against the New England Patriots on Thursday night. It's one final audition for a quarterback who spent the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad -- one more chance to show Coughlin he can fill the backup quarterback role.

"That's my goal," Bomar said. "I want to be the backup on this team, and help the team out any way I can."

With Sorgi's season over before it ever really began due to a torn capsule in his right throwing shoulder, the Giants have been considering their options for finding a new backup.

Sorgi suffered the injury on Aug. 16 against the New York Jets, and Coughlin said management has been monitoring the quarterback market.

As of right now, the second-year Bomar and rookie free agent quarterback Dominic Randolph are all the Giants have behind Manning. Should Manning get hurt, the Giants would have to turn to Bomar, who has never taken a snap in an NFL regular-season game.

"Well, it depends on what the availability and what the cost is," Coughlin said of bringing in a veteran quarterback. "I'm not saying we're doing that, but our people are not caught by surprise by this. Our guys have been working on this for a couple of weeks."

Coughlin was asked if it is safe to assume he will wait to see how Bomar does on Thursday against the Patriots before deciding to bring in another quarterback.

"I don't know if anything is safe," Coughlin said. "I just think that we're investigating all of our options, whatever those options are. If it comes that the decision is made after the game, fine. If it comes that the decision is made before that, fine, but all of the options are open, of course. Depending on if he goes in there and plays well on Thursday night, we'll certainly have good evidence to think that he can do it."

Bomar has completed 29 of 53 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in three preseason games. He played the entire second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with Manning, who had a head laceration, and Sorgi both out. Bomar went 13-for-26 for 167 yards and one interception in the 24-17 loss.

Bomar has gotten precious playing time in the past two preseason games with Sorgi out, and he has shown flashes of his potential.

"I feel way more comfortable since camp started," Bomar said. "I never would've thought I would get a whole week of practice, a whole game in the preseason. I didn't think that would happen this year. I'm glad I did, for me, not the whole situation. I feel a lot more comfortable. I just have to tune up a few things and cut down on some mistakes and go out there and make plays."

The 25-year-old quarterback, who played at Sam Houston State after transferring from Oklahoma, has also shown toughness, taking several hits in the pocket.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound quarterback may not want to take too many more hits. He's pretty much all the Giants have behind Manning at the moment.

"He's talented," Coughlin said. "We'll see how far we can go with it."

Ohm Youngmisuk covers the Giants for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.

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Ohm Youngmisuk

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Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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