Latest On James Bradberry

The draft has come and gone, meaning that much of the attention regarding the Giants is being turned back on to cornerback James Bradberry. Keeping in line with what has been expected throughout the offseason, it appears he will be on his way out of New York soon. 

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that “all signs point” to Bradberry being released “soon” (Twitter link). That had long been the expected outcome of this situation, though in the run-up to free agency it was reported he was drawing trade interest. As Raanan details, general manager Joe Schoen recently described the trade market for the 28-year-old as being “tougher than expected”.

The relative lack of offers is directly tied, of course, to the primary reason the team is set to move on from him in the first place. Bradberry is scheduled to have a cap hit of just over $21.8MM in 2022, the final non-void year on his contract. Schoen acknowledged the possibility of extending him to lower that figure, but called it a “last resort”. Moving on from the Pro Bowler would be the latest in a string of cost-cutting moves the Giants have made, as Schoen continues to try and carve out much-needed cap room.

The Chiefs were named as one of the teams most interested in acquiring Bradberry before or during the draft, but they elected to use three selections on corner prospects. As was noted at the time, it was always far more likely teams would look to add him as a free agent after his release, rather than trading for his contract. On that point, Raanan notes how hitting the open market so late in free agency will likely hurt the value of his next deal. Still, his age and level of play should generate notable interest from a number of teams looking to add to their secondary.