Giants, Victor Cruz Agree On Restructure
7:51pm: Cruz’s new base salary will be $1.3MM, according to Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record (via Twitter). This is a drastic drop from the $7.9MM the 6-foot target was set to earn under his previous deal. But Cruz can recoup a sizable amount of this through playing-time incentives ($5.5MM) and production incentives, Bergen reports.
7:40pm: The Giants and Victor Cruz at long last appear to have agreed on a restructured deal that will keep the slot receiver in 
New York this season, Rand Getlin of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Previously set to count $9.9MM against the Giants’ cap in 2016, Cruz’s new number will reduce to a not-yet-released amount. Some of Cruz’s money will be shifted to incentives, Getlin reports. This new arrangement will allow the seventh-year wideout the chance to earn all of the money back that was originally on his contract, per Getlin (on Twitter).
Cruz signed a $45.88MM contract extension prior to the 2013 season, but much has changed since he last played. The star of Kevin Gilbride’s offenses of the early part of this decade, Cruz will now attempt to fully assimilate into Ben McAdoo’s attack in which he operated briefly before suffering a season-ending knee injury against the Eagles in October 2014.
Last season, a persistent calf injury kept the 29-year-old target off the field. Set to turn 30 in November, Cruz has three seasons left on his deal.
So, should Cruz be healthy after missing the past 22 regular-season games, Giants fans may finally get a chance to see the team’s best receiver of the early 2010s and its current No. 1 receiver share the field. That’s only happened in two games, with Cruz and Odell Beckham starting just once together.
Although Cruz arrived emphatically onto the scene with his dominant 2011 slate — 1,536 yards, 18.7 yards per reception, nine TDs — his receiving yardage figures have gone down in each subsequent season. Cruz earned a Pro Bowl nod for his 2012 work (1,092 yards, 10 TDs), it was quite a bit off his torrid pace. Cruz gained 998 air yards in 2013 and scored four touchdowns in Gilbride’s final season as OC.
But should Cruz return to form, Eli Manning, who quietly threw for a career-high 35 touchdown passes last season as he began to thrive in McAdoo’s offense, could have a receiving crew with a higher ceiling than any at his disposal in his 13 seasons. The Giants, who have Rueben Randle remaining as a UFA, have boasted deeper receiving corps but none quite on the level of what Beckham and the version of Cruz that surfaced in the early part of this decade could be capable of reaching.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Extra Points: Cruz, Hoyer, Glennon, Falcons
On a day where the Giants are making aggressive efforts to improve their team in free agency, some clarity on one of their holdovers could be coming soon.
Victor Cruz is working out details in order to stay on the Giants, Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record reports (on Twitter). The former Pro Bowl slot stalwart has been M.I.A. with the Giants over the past 1 1/2 years due to knee and calf injuries. The Giants intended to release Cruz if the sides were unable to work out a restructure that would lower the receiver’s cap number, which currently sits at $9.90MM. But the sides have been optimistic this week about a resolution that keeps Cruz with the Giants.
Cruz and Odell Beckham have only started one game together, leaving a what-if factor looming around the Giants’ passing game. Cruz will be 30 in November.
Here’s the latest from around the league.
- Buccaneers backup Mike Glennon could be a trade chip but will cost teams at least a third-round pick due to a potential compensatory draft selection’s involvement down the line, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Glennon has one more season left on his rookie deal after which he can become an unrestricted free agent. The Bucs started No. 1 pick Jameis Winston in all 16 games last season. Glennon, who’s completed 58.8% of his passes in 18 starts and has thrown 29 touchdown passes compared to 15 interceptions, has been competent during previous stints and could be an attractive option for a quarterback-needy team. The Texans no longer reside in that group, but several other teams do, including the defending Super Bowl champions.
- Fresh off making Brock Osweiler their quarterback of the future earlier today, the Texans now could include Brian Hoyer in trade scenarios, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. Despite committing five turnovers in the wild card playoff loss to the Chiefs, Hoyer threw 19 TD passes compared to seven INTs last season in just nine starts. The 30-year-old signal-caller has one season left on the two-year, $10.5MM deal he signed last year with the Texans and is due to make $4MM in base salary this season.
- The Falcons were interested in bringing aboard Mark Barron before he signed to stay with the Rams, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). McClure notes the Falcons were “very high” on Barron to perhaps return to strong safety. The Rams re-signed him with the intent to keep him at weakside linebacker.
Giants, Jags Frontrunners For Olivier Vernon
Now that Olivier Vernon‘s a full-fledged UFA after the Dolphins rescinded his transition tag, the Giants and Jaguars are leading the sweepstakes for the defensive end’s services, Jeff Darlington of NFL.com tweets.
There figures to be more teams involved in pursing the dynamic defender coming off a strong contract year, but these two are out in front, per Darlington.
Ranked No. 1 on PFR’s list of free agents going into the 2016 league year, the 25-year-old Vernon is now a coveted commodity by other suitors after the Dolphins opted to sign Mario Williams to join an already high-paid defensive front that features Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh.
The Jaguars’ interest comes as no surprise given their league-high cap space, which currently sits at $72.2MM (per OverTheCap), but Jacksonville just agreed to sign defensive end/tackle hybrid Malik Jackson to a deal worth upwards of $85.5MM. Jacksonville also employs Jared Odrick, whom it pried from the Dolphins last year. Jackson and Odrick are currently the Jags’ top two highest-paid players.
The Giants, who as of now possess $47.02MM of cap space, are bolstering their defensive front aggressively as well, reaching agreements to keep Jason Pierre-Paul with the team and Damon Harrison in New York.
This would give the Jags some serious capital allocated toward its defensive front, which houses rookie-contract stalwart Sen’Derrick Marks.
Vernon ranked third overall behind only Khalil Mack and Von Miller among edge defenders last season, according to Pro Football Focus, after amassing 7.5 sacks and 61 tackles. The former third-round pick has 29 career sacks.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
NFC East Rumors: Bradford, Eagles, Giants
The latest from the NFC East:
- It’s not necessarily likely, but the Eagles could theoretically trade Sam Bradford, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. The first $5.5MM installment of Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus isn’t due until March 18, 2016, according to a source. The second installment is not due until September 1st. The Eagles have yet to pay Bradford anything on this new pact and, in theory, they could trade him without paying out any portion of his new contract. After signing Chase Daniel, it’s at least fair to wonder if Philly could consider such a move.
- Giants tight end Larry Donnell received full clearance from his neck injury, agent Tamika Cheatham tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter) hears that the Giants have not seen his latest test results and, therefore, the team has not yet cleared him medically.
- Washington plans to hang on to Perry Riley, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Keim notes that Washington liked how Riley played next to Will Compton before he went down with an injury.
Latest On Mohamed Sanu
There are many teams in on Bengals free agent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). That list of suitors includes the Giants, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Washington. 
The Bengals lost Marvin Jones to the Lions on Wednesday morning and it sounds like they could conceivably lose their other top wide receiver to free agency. Jones netted an average annual value of $8MM and it has been speculated that Sanu could command $5MM/year, particularly because of the lack of talent at the position in this year’s crop. In 2014, Sanu hauled in 56 catches for 790 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, however, he saw a dip in production with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns.
Sanu earned honorable mention on PFR’s Top 50 List of NFL Free Agents. At the wide receiver position, Sanu was ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver available, behind Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse.
In other Bengals news, Reggie Nelson will get interest from the Vikings and Buccaneers when free agency opens, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. Cincinnati, as it turns out, does not want the safety back at this point. The Bengals floated a two-year offer to Nelson earlier this week and the safety did not accept, sources tell Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer tweets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Contract Details: JPP, McClain, Stanton
Here are the latest updates on many recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFC:
NFC East:
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): One year, $10MM. $8.5MM fully guaranteed. $4.25MM signing bonus, $4.25MM base salary. $1.2MM per-game roster bonuses. $300K incentive tied to sacks. $10.5MM max value (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Rolando McClain, LB (Cowboys): One year, $4MM. $1MM available via incentives if McClain plays 75% of defensive snaps (Twitter link via Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram).
NFC South:
- Michael Hoomanawanui, TE (Saints): Three years, $5.2MM. $1.85MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Kyle Wilson, CB (Saints): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Keith Tandy, S (Buccaneers): Two years, $1.85MM. $250K roster bonus guarantees on fifth day of league year (Twitter link via Wilson).
NFC North:
- Andrew Sendejo, S (Vikings): Four years, $16MM. $950K 2016 base salary (fully guaranteed). Contains option for 2019 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Lane Taylor, OL (Packers): Two years, $4.15MM. $600K signing bonus. Contains $1MM in playtime and workout incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).
NFC West:
- Ahtyba Rubin, DT (Seahawks): Three years, $12MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonu (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Drew Stanton, QB (Cardinals): Two years, $6.5MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
FA Rumors: McLeod, Vernon, Steelers, Sweezy
Safety Rodney McLeod is one of the top young safeties set to hit the market today, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that the Ravens are a “strong contender” for the Rams’ free-agent-to-be.
While the Ravens could use some help at free safety, since Kendrick Lewis didn’t prove in 2015 that he’s the long-term answer and Lardarius Webb doesn’t have much experience at safety. But the idea that Baltimore would make a play for someone like McLeod is surprising, since the team typically doesn’t foray too aggressively into free agency, and doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility.
As we wait to see if anything comes of the Ravens’ apparent interest in McLeod, let’s check in on a few other free agent rumors….
- In an interesting piece for TheMMQB.com, defensive end Olivier Vernon, one of the top free agents available, acknowledges that he “probably” won’t be back with the Dolphins in 2016.
- With Heath Miller having retired, the Steelers are exploring the tight end free agent market, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, Coby Fleener, Ladarius Green, and Jared Cook are names worth monitoring for Pittsburgh.
- Over a half-dozen teams remain in the mix for offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that the Broncos are worth keeping an eye on.
- Offensive tackle Bobby Massie has received interest from the Bears and Giants, but his market isn’t up to $8MM per year yet, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. A Monday report indicated that Massie could end up landing a deal in that range.
- The Rams are intent on trying to re-sign defensive end William Hayes, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, Hayes has a “nice market,” but wouldn’t rule out a return to the Rams.
- The Bears resumed negotiations on Tuesday with tight end Zach Miller, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Miller’s reported asking price of $5MM per year, which seemed outrageous a few weeks ago, doesn’t look quite as far-fetched after Dwayne Allen got $7MM+ annually from the Colts.
Latest On Bengals Free Agent WRs
The latest out of Cincinnati:
- There is mutual interest between the Patriots and Mohamed Sanu, according to sources who spoke with Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Howe writes that Sanu could command $5MM/year, particularly because of the lack of talent at the position in this year’s crop. In 2014, Sanu hauled in 56 catches for 790 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, he saw a dip in production with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns.
- The Titans are also showing interest in Sanu, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
- Marvin Jones is “atop the Giants‘ wide receiver wish list,” according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says that the Lions feel similarly about Jones (link).
Giants To Re-Sign Jason Pierre-Paul
3:45pm: It’s a “real” $10MM deal with a chance for JPP to make $10.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Cardinals, he adds, offered “much more.”
1:23pm: Pierre-Paul has confirmed, via Instagram, that he will be returning to the Giants, though he made a note to specifically thank the Cardinals for their interest. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that a source close to JPP was surprised the defensive end decided to return to New York, which suggests that another team – probably Arizona – made him a more lucrative offer.
12:46pm: It’s a one-year deal worth up to $10.5MM, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He adds that the Cardinals made a late push for Pierre-Paul’s services.
12:39pm: The Giants are expected to keep Jason Pierre-Paul, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). JPP will sign a one-year deal with Big Blue, per Rapoport, and he apparently turned down more money elsewhere to stay put in the Meadowlands. 
Other possible suitors were reportedly “hesitant” to offer Pierre-Paul a long-term pact, giving the Giants some optimism that they could get a deal done. They’ve done just that today, though the financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
Pierre-Paul has been one of Big Blue’s fiercest defenders since they drafted him 15th overall in 2010. The 27-year-old end totaled 42 sacks from 2010-14, including a career-high 16.5 during the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning campaign in 2011. However, his career took a terrible turn last summer when he lost his right index finger thanks to a July 4 fireworks accident.
Pierre-Paul returned to the field in November and ended up appearing in eight games, registering 26 tackles and a personal-low one sack. Despite his statistical decline, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still ranked Pierre-Paul a solid 30th out of 91 qualifying edge rushers. The site remained impressed with his pass-rushing ability, though it gave him a poor grade against the run. He clearly disagrees in regards to the latter, having stated in December that, “I think I play the run better than I play the pass.”
JPP ranked No. 7 on Luke Adams’ list of Top 50 NFL Free Agents.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Ivory, Eagles, Powers
Chris Ivory wants roughly $6.5MM per year and is looking for at least a three-year commitment, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday tweets. Some might view that as an ambitious ask, but Ivory could net that sort of deal this offseason given that there are many teams with significant cap space to use. On PFR’s list of top free agent running backs, Ivory stands as the No. 4 option behind Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, and Matt Forte.
Here are the very latest free agent rumors:
- The Eagles have reached out to linebacker Nigel Bradham, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The 26-year-old has a history with Philly DC Jim Schwartz.
- Jerraud Powers says he’s unsure about future with the Cardinals as free agency nears, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. “I think it’s close but at the same time, it’s not,” Powers said. “We’ve been in talks, but I don’t know what the waiting process is like. I’m starting to think that maybe they’re just going to move in another direction.” Powers, who made $4.35MM last season, wants a three- or four-year deal. He also says that he wants to join a club with a “winning pedigree” that can contend in 2016.
- The Giants are nowhere near done making moves on the defensive line, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. Raanan cautions to expect several more big moves. Earlier today, the Giants reached agreement with JPP on a new deal.
- Charles Johnson has already visited the Giants and Buccaneers, but he might be signing with a different club based on the tone of this tweet. “2mor u will know my future!!! It’s going to be epic,” Johnson wrote.