We now bring you a post that has absolutely nothing to do with Peyton Manning.
We’re staying within the Manning family, however. Eli Manning has restructured his contract for the 2012 season in order to provide the Giants with more cap room during the rest of the offseason. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports that Manning lowered his base salary for 2012 from $10.75 million to $1.75 million to create almost $7 million in cap space. His cap number for the 2012 season will now be $9.6 million, down from $16.35 million.
The move, a common maneuver that transforms salary into a bonus to spread the hit out over several years, will make for a bigger cap number (over $20 million the next two years) down the road. That’s something the Giants will deal with when the time comes, though, because they need the space now to take care of more pressing concerns. Among them could be additions at tight end after the injuries to Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum and on the offensive line or in the secondary. The team has also said they will explore a new contract for wide receiver Victor Cruz.
The Giants, who were around $9 million over the cap, can create more cap space by dealing with Brandon Jacobs’ contract. The running back is currently set to make $4.4 million in the 2012 season, a lot for the production he provides, but he’s been open to talking about a pay cut to remain with the team.