Thomas is amped to come back with the G-men. (Getty Images)
The Giants were looking at losing a large number of players in their secondary Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET when free agency begins, but they made a smart move and locked up cornerback Terrell Thomas to an extension on Monday morning.

Thomas was ranked as the 24th-best free agent on our Top 100 list. That might seem high, but it's because he was prepped to breakout before tearing his ACL in the 2011 preseason. Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the news and Thomas more or less confirmed it.

"It's a GREAT day to be a NEW YORK GIANT!" Thomas tweeted Tuesday.

Thomas was drafted by the Giants with the 63rd-overall pick (second round) out of USC in 2008. He took over as a starter in 2009 and started all 32 games in 2009 and 2010, picking off 10 total passes in that time.

His presence on the roster could mean that Aaron Ross, who performed at a high level down the stretch and into the playoffs for the Giants, could be expendable.

It'll also mean the Giants have a better shot at repeating their second-half secondary success in 2012, provided Thomas can stay healthy.

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