It was clear from Victor Cruz’s recent remarks about his departure from the Giants that he wasn’t feeling loved by his old team.
His new one made sure he got the message.
During an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Waddle & Silvy show, the veteran wide receiver said he was greeted with open arms by the Bears.
“I just wanted to hear that I can have an opportunity to play,” Cruz said of the free-agent process. “To come and be a direct impact to a football team. And Chicago showed me a lot of love. . . . Everyone was adamant about how they felt I could contribute to the football team and be a factor immediately coming right in. And not just as a player but as someone who’s been around football a long time and can come in and provide an insight to different teams and different nuances of the game.
“And I think Chicago presented the best opportunity for me.”
The Bears certainly present that, as they lack proven options in the passing game after losing Alshon Jeffery to the Eagles in free agency. With former first-rounder Kevin White yet to make an impact, they needed targets for Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky.
“I looked at that receiver room and I saw a lot of young guys and a lot of talent in there as well,” Cruz said. “A lot of guys that can benefit from just having someone like me in the room, to pick my brain and for me to tell them how I think we can get better.”
The 30-year-old Cruz said he has “a lot left in the tank” after seven seasons in New York, two of which were lost to knee and calf injuries. The Giants cut him in a cap-saving move this offseason, and he said yesterday that the team was trying to hold him down last year to make it easier to release him.