It appears the Giants have found a temporary solution to at least one of the money woes plaguing their receiving corps. Eli Manning is getting major coin, but this summer, his receivers are intent on avoiding OTAs until they secure some economic prosperity of their own. Hakeem Nicks is their No. 1 priority, but the Giants finally have leverage to get priority No. 1A, slot receiver Victor Cruz, in camp.
Via ESPN:
New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Friday that he's on his way to the team's facility and he intends to sign his first-round restricted free-agent tender worth $2.879 million.
"I'm going to sign my tender today and will continue talks for a long-term deal before camp starts," Cruz said Friday morning.
The Giants had the right to reduce Cruz's tender to just more than $600,000 on Friday had he not signed.
Cruz, 26, is coming off two incredibly productive seasons with a total of 168 catches for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns. But the two sides have been unable to reach an extension, which had kept him away from any of the team's offseason functions.
The Giants hope that having Cruz in camp will give them more time to negotiate a long-term extension.
This solves their problem with Cruz in the short term, but before the season kicks off he's demanding a deal that pays him at least $10 million a year. Worst case scenario is that he may have to follow Desean Jackson's 2011 path to financial security by sucking it up–signing with Jay-Z and playing out his contract under the terms he agreed to on Friday.
