Giants Exercise Option On Justin Pugh

The Giants have picked up the picked up the fifth-year option on guard Justin Pugh, according to sources who spoke with Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter). The move, as Raanan writes, was widely expected. His contract for the 2017 season is expected to be worth $8.821MM. Justin Pugh (vertical)

Pugh, 25, was taken with the 19th overall pick in the 2013 draft. Since then, he has been a big piece of Big Blue’s O-Line thanks to his versatility. He turned in a solid season in 2015 while playing at both guard and tackle. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus slotted Pugh as the 11th best guard in the NFL last season. For this upcoming year, Pugh is slated to start at left guard, though he could move to the outside if needed.

The fifth-year option for a player drafted outside the top ten is the average of the No. 3 through No. 25 salaries at their position. All offensive linemen – whether they’re guards, tackles, or centers – are lumped into the same category for option salary purposes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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