Because he's not worth the trouble. Some players are so important to their teams, that even if they cause the occasional headache or distraction, they are too valuable to get rid of. Jeremy Shockey isn't one of those players.

The Giants tight end is unquestionably a good player, but certainly not great. Clifton Brown of the Sporting News argues that Shockey's emotions are valuable because otherwise the team may become complacent after winning a championship. Given head coach Tom Coughlin's strict demeanor, it's hard to believe losing Shockey will send the team into a free fall because he isn't there to hype up his squad.

On the field, Shockey's production is above average, but certainly not irreplaceable. Which was fairly evident when witnessing Kevin Boss' performance in the playoffs. For the 2007 season, Shockey had 57 catches and just over 600 yards, with 3 touchdowns. Again, not bad, but not great. Houston's Owen Daniels gives you more production with none of the extracurriculars.

And Shockey isn't the great downfield threat he's cracked up to be. His 10.9 yards per reception was 14th among NFL tight ends, behind players like Denver's Tony Scheffler, Indy's Ben Utecht and Tampa's Alex Smith. His longest catch was 29 yards, which was 30th among his peers at the position. What about yards after the catch, another asset Shockey supposedly brings? Among tight ends with at least 10 catches, his average of 4.6 put him 19th. And those 3 touchdowns? Fifteen tight ends scored more.

Jeremy Shockey is a quality tight end who can help teams win games. But that's where it ends, even though all the attention he receives makes it seem otherwise. If the saints or some other team want to deal with his antics, the Giants should be more than willing to accommodate them.