The Victor Cruz contract saga might finally be coming to a close.
After months of on-again, off-again talks with the New York Giants about a new contract, Cruz appears to be closing in on a long-term extension, according to ESPN.
Parameters for the deal are already in place, now the two sides are trying to hash out some minor details to get this thing signed, sealed and delivered. Cruz is expected to ink the deal before training camp, which begins in the last week of July. He could be fined $30,000 for each day he misses in training camp.
His new contract is expected to exceed the $8 million per-year offer that Cruz rejected from the Giants in June. Giants general manager Jerry Reese stood firm in the team’s offer to Cruz then, Â but feelings around the organization may have changed since.
Cruz signed his one-year, $2.89 million tender with the Giants earlier this offseason, ensuring he locked down at least some money before the Giants had the chance to decrease his salary down to about $615,000 — the NFL minimum salary for third-year players. Now, he’ll have the long-term security he’s been looking for, and the Giants can begin the process of locking up fellow wide receiver Hakeem Nicks for the long haul as well.
Cruz, 26, is coming off of a stellar start to his NFL career, catching 168 passes for over 2,600 yards and 19 touchdowns during his first two years with the Giants. He was also named to the Pro Bowl after the 2012 season.
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