Joe Carini, Barber's personal trainer, said he first planted the seed of a comeback while watching the Jets-Patriots playoff game with the Barber brothers. Around the Super Bowl, Barber began to seriously contemplate a return and he began working out a couple of weeks ago to get back in shape.

"He is dead serious and he has been coming in every day," said Carini, who also trains Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson. "He is 198 pounds and is in good shape. Not as strong as he is going to be but he will be. When he was with the Giants, he was 208. I'm talking about putting on another 10 pounds with him in a matter of a few weeks. Truth of the matter is he feels great. His knee, his shoulders feel great. No injuries. He doesn't have a problem moving and is pretty quick [even though] he hasn't played in four years."

Carini said Barber has only talked about playing for one potential new team -- the Buccaneers. Playing in Tampa Bay would allow Barber to play with his brother Ronde.

"He is going to play," Carini said. "I don't know what team."

"If he gets with the right team and they utilize him the right way, the man will be back on top," Carini added. "I'm not saying they need to give him the ball 20 to 25 times a week but he still has enough left in the tank. He can be very very productive."

But Antonio Pierce, the former Giants linebacker, says his old teammate won't add much to the locker room of any team that decides to add him in terms of leadership.

"I didn't get a chance to get to know who Tiki Barber was the person," Pierce said. "I know him as a player and the guy was great and we always congratulate each other, the way we played."

"But what he did in that locker room my two years with him, he didn't do anything but deteriorate that team," Pierce added. "And he didn't help us out. I don't see this guy as a leader or somebody that can help you out. And that's my problem with him. That is why I believe they [the Giants] will release him because he is going to cause nothing but problems for that team."

The Giants already have Brandon Jacobs and DJ Ware under contract at running back and plan on trying to re-sign Ahmad Bradshaw once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

If Barber can't find an NFL team that wants him, Jim Fassel, one of his former coaches from the Giants, said he'd be happy to have him play for his Las Vegas Locomotives in the United Football League.

"He says he wants to play in the NFL. If he wants to come play in our league, I would be happy to have him," Fassel, president/GM/coach of the two-time UFL champs, told the New York Daily News.

Fassel told the newspaper he planned to call Barber to wish him good luck on his comeback attempt and also extend an offer to join his UFL team.

While Barber was an outstanding player for the Giants, the always-outspoken running back has been critical of Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning since his retirement.