New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz is going to sign his restricted free agent tender but wants to keep negotiating a long-term contract with the team before training camp, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson on Twitter on Friday.
Victor Cruz contract: Giants WR will sign RFA tender, continue negotiating long-term deal
New York reportedly gets their leading wide receiver back for the short term.
USA TODAY Sports
Cruz’s tender is worth $2.879 million for the upcoming season. The three-year wideout was the Giants’ leading receiver in every major category in 2012, and wants to be paid more than your average NFL slot receiver going forward. This move at least assures he’ll be involved with the team’s offseason workouts in the near future.
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Over the last two seasons, Cruz has established himself as a dynamic playmaking threat, as well as quarterback Eli Manning's favorite target in New York. Cruz followed up his 82-catch, 1,536-yard and nine-touchdown 2011 campaign with 86 catches, 1,092 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com wrote this week, Cruz signing his tender Friday sneaks under June 17, a date when the Giants could have lowered the tender to $630,000. This move, while it’s unclear whether or not the team would have actually done it, could have muddled up the situation between the two sides even more.
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