Thed Watson, USF's starting left tackle during the Bulls' first two seasons in the Big East, is getting a second chance at making an NFL roster. Watson flew to New York on Thursday and is expected to sign a free-agent contract with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

"I just landed here. I believe I'm signing today," said Watson, the former Lakewood standout who worked out for the Giants last season after being one of the final cuts of the Carolina Panthers. "I've got a big chip on my shoulder and want to show them what I can do."

Watson, 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds, spent five months on the Panthers' roster as an undrafted free agent last summer but didn't make their final roster. He was in camp with the Arena Football League's Orlando Predators in February but was released, and said he was considering an offer from the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats when his agent got a call from the Giants two weeks ago.

The Super Bowl champs won't be an easy roster to make, but Watson has some things working in his favor. The Giants didn't select any offensive linemen with their seven picks in the NFL Draft, and signed only one other tackle -- 6-foot-8, 315-pound Dylan Thiry from Northwestern -- since the draft.

The Giants did not have any new signings to confirm when contacted Thursday.