Every Giants fan in the area is joining in as Cruz and the New York Giants agreed to a brand new five year, $43 million contract that will take him through the 2018 season.
Cruz has been one of the NFL's more prolific rising young stars. A down-to-earth kid from Paterson, NJ, Cruz wanted to remain a Giant -- whether the contract was done now or later.
The fact that he got the deal done now is a credit to him for not dragging negotiations into the season, and creating a distraction in the process.In the last two seasons combined, Cruz has 168 receptions for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns. He rose to fame in 2011, when he burst onto the scene as an undrafted rookie, and lit it up, highlighted by his 99-yard touchdown against the Jets, that propelled the Giants to another Super Bowl run.
Now, Cruz is no longer a surprise to do big things, he is expected to do big things. While Hakeem Nicks is considered by some to be the Giants number 1 receiver, it is Cruz who is truly Eli Manning's go-to guy.
Cruz will count only $2.53 million against the Giants cap this season, but it will increase over the course of the contract, hitting a ceiling of $9.9 million against the cap in 2016.
With Cruz in the fold long term, he now become a leader on the team, along side Manning. Quiet the contrast in leadership that this club once had about a decade ago when they relied on meat-heads like Jeremy Shockey, Michael Strahan and Tiki Barber.
Cruz's signing also signals that the Giants can now move along and try to negotiate a long term deal with the oft-injured Nicks, and keep him in the fold. As Cruz told WFAN a day after the signing, the Giants haven't even hit their stride yet offensively, especially if they stay healthy.
It's salsa time Giants fans!
1 comment:
This is cool!
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