A month ago, Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora was demoted from a starter to a pass-rush specialist following New York’s loss to the Broncos on Thanksgiving night. Yesterday, he played in only a handful of snaps in the Giants’ embarrassing 41-9 loss to the Panthers in East Rutherford.

All of this has left Umenyiora pondering his future in New York, and his comments following the loss to Carolina indicates that he won’t be a Giant past this season.

From the Newark Star Ledger:

“What did I play, five snaps today?” said Umenyiora. “I don’t know, I don’t know what happened. I thought I was the problem.

“It’s an unbelievable situation, man. Last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant, just the way everything has unfolded has been unbelievable.”

Unless Umenyiora knows something about the team’s plans to deactivate him next week, Sunday was not his final game as a Giant.

But perhaps he meant it would be his final home game, which means he’s anticipating a trade, his release or a holdout on his part until he gets one of the first two. Umenyiora is signed through the 2012 season, so the Giants probably don’t plan on cutting him loose without any compensation.

Unless he forces their hand.

“I couldn’t really explain what I’m feeling right now. Disappointment is an understatement, in everything,” the two-time Pro Bowl selection said. “The way everything has played out this year has been absolute nonsense; very disappointed, disheartened, discouraged, whatever you want to call it. I feel all those emotions.”

If Umenyiora wants to stay with the Giants, then he, along with many fans, would love to see the team show defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan the door. Sheridan has been a disaster since taking over for former coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who is now the head coach of the Rams. His schemes don’t allow for Umenyiora and the rest of the Giants’ talented defensive ends to rush the passer as much as they did under Spagnuolo. Sheridan will often drop his ends into coverage, which doesn’t (and hasn’t) take advantage of their pass-rush capabilities.

Granted, New York’s pass-rush looked great against Washington on Monday night in Week 15, but that was against a Redskins’ offensive line that has resembled more of a revolving door than a wall of protection for quarterback Jason Campbell. The bottom line is that Sheridan hasn’t done his job and I can’t foresee any situation in which the Giants retain him next season.

But getting back to Umenyiora, it’ll be interesting to see if he demands a trade in the offseason or if he’ll allow the situation to play itself out. He’s under contract through 2012, although he is due $4.4 million in bonuses next year, so maybe the Giants will look to move him if they can find a trade partner.