Giant Football Blog

Giants have money but no interest

The Giants got an unexpected gift from NFL owners late Wednesday night when the salary cap was raised to $102 million. A week ago they had hardly any cap room. Now they have an extra $7.5 million to spend. But as they look around this year's free-agent market, they don't see many exciting ways to spend it. The pool is drier than it was last year, when the Giants used big money on tackle Kareem McKenzie, linebacker Antonio Pierce and receiver Plaxico Burress. They're not likely to duplicate that kind of splash.

"Last year there were players that were very attractive to us," GM Ernie Accorsi said. "Obviously we now have a lot of cap room, but we can't make decisions based on how much money we have left. We have to make decisions based on the value of each player. We're going to try to be judicious. It's not fantasy football." Continue

Everybody wins

TOUCHDOWN. On fourth-and-greed, the NFL finally scored, and here's what labor peace means: The Giants, laggards in locally-generated revenue and therefore not equipped for a 2007 free-agent shootout with Jerry Jones' Cowboys and Dan Snyder's Redskins, are winners for several reasons.

With the salary cap $8 million higher, they Giants will be able to go shopping for the final pieces they need for a serious Super Bowl run: cornerback (Sam Madison?), and outside linebacker (get LaVar Arrington). Giants fans should know they have the right people - Ernie Accorsi and Tom Coughlin - shopping for the groceries. Which means Eli Manning versus Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI is alive. Continue

Giants won't be free with their money

No matter what the 2006 NFL salary cap eventually is set at, the Giants know this time around they will not be in position to make the free-agent splash they did a year ago, when they opened the vault and lured in four starting players, plus kicker Jay Feely and returner Chad Morton.

For now, with the cap set at $94.5 million - $10 million less than teams anticipated - the Giants might not even be able to make a few waves, much less a splash, when the free-agency signing period begins. It was supposed to commence today but has been pushed back to Monday. Continue

Cap day no sweat for Giants

Even if there's no settlement in the NFL's labor negotiations and the salary cap ends up lower than expected, most Giants will be safe. The Giants already positioned themselves to be under even the lowest projected salary-cap figure last week when they released linebacker Barrett Green, guard Jason Whittle and safety Brent Alexander. Those moves have left them with a 2006 cap total of approximately $90 million.

The cap is set at $94.5 million with no new CBA, which would give the Giants "some room" to spend in free agency, according to GM Ernie Accorsi "but obviously not the kind of room we had last year." They will use up much of that room to re-sign DT Kendrick Clancy, kick returner Chad Morton and tender restricted free agents TE Visanthe Shiancoe and WR David Tyree, unless they sign Tyree to a long-term deal. They also have some interest in retaining restricted free agent WR Willie Ponder and DT Kenderick Allen. (NY Daily News)

Giants gain cap room by signing Seubert

The New York Giants have signed offensive lineman Rich Seubert to a two-year contract extension, a move that provides the team about $400,000 in additional salary cap room for 2006.By signing Seubert, the Giants secured for the long-term a player who could work his way back into the starting lineup after overcoming a potentially career-threatening injury.

For the second consecutive year, Seubert accepted a salary reduction, but could gain more security in a deal that ties him to the Giants through the 2009 season. The two extension years added to his contract are at base salaries of $1.05 million for 2008 and $1.3 million for '09. His base salaries for the next two seasons, in the reworked portion of his existing contract, are $545,0000 for '06 and $790,000 for '07. Continue

Cap tips in Giants' favor

For the first time in the salary-cap era, the Giants have the money to be major players in the free-agent market. But that doesn't mean they are going to suddenly turn into the Dallas Cowboys or the Washington Redskins. They may have had $8 million-$10 million in cap room when the free-agent frenzy opened at midnight last night, but they weren't planning to use it to make a big early splash just because they can.

"I just think you have to be careful," Giants GM Ernie Accorsi said at the scouting combine in Indianapolis last week. "Up to this point the big-splash guys are dwindling. What's going to happen is, I don't want to necessarily use the term 'overpriced,' but guys are going to get out of control and you've got to be careful you don't do that. We have the wherewithal to compete for top players, but it depends." Continue

Free agent offers

According to Daily News the Giants have made qualifying offers to three restricted free agents: LB Nick Greisen, LB Wesley Mallard and S Jack Brewer. Cutting WR Ike Hilliard would not cost the Giants any cap money. In fact, a source said, it would save them $750,000.

Giants may cap Ike era

The four minor roster cuts the Giants made on Tuesday will likely be the only ones they make before free agency starts Wednesday. But that doesn't mean everyone else on the roster is safe. The fate of several veterans was still undecided as the Giants held organizational meetings this week. Most notable was that of receiver Ike Hilliard, who is due a $750,000 roster bonus in mid-March. With the Giants expected to be somewhere between $5 million and $10 million under the cap, which was set yesterday at $85.5 million, they could afford the $3 million cap hit they'd take if they decided to release him.

Another veteran who could be on the bubble is safety Shaun Williams, who is due a $900,000 bonus on April 1. However the Giants are expected to first ask him to restructure his contract. If he doesn't, then his spot on the roster could be in danger, even though cutting him would cost nearly $5 million in cap space. Continue

Giants under 2005 salary cap

According to the NY Post Giants are 5.5 million under the 2005 salary cap. The cap for 2005 is expected to be $85.5 million. The Eagles are currently 17 million under, but have plenty of FAs to sign.