As the Giants worry about whether another team will swoop in with an offer sheet for restricted free agent receiver Victor Cruz, their quarterback has a solution.
Eli Manning will restructure his deal if need be.
“If the Giants want to work something out, I am always up for listening and figuring out what I can do to help the cause,” Manning said Wednesday night, via ESPNNewYork.com. “That is kind of up to the Giants and what they want to do. I am always up for listening and doing whatever is best for the team to put us in a [situation] to win more championships.”
It helps that Cruz is now represented by CAA, which also represents Manning. So if getting a new deal with Cruz requires Manning to do a new deal, CAA can make that happen.
Of course, a restructuring from Eli wouldn’t cost him any money. Instead, current cap dollars (he’s north of $20 million) would be pushed to future years, and Eli’s take-home pay wouldn’t change.
“I’ve been sending a few texts to him. ‘Yeah, hey, get this done. Make sure he stays with us,’” Manning said. “Obviously I want Victor back with the Giants, and obviously right now he is [tendered].
“I check the papers every morning to make sure no one else has offered him a contract. It is nerve-racking though. He is anxious. I know he has been dealing with this contract issue for a long time. I know he wants it just settled and wants to get back to playing football and just worrying about that.”
Here’s what Manning should be worrying about. If the Giants keep low balling Cruz, Cruz or CAA may decide that the player is better off elsewhere. And at that point CAA could decide to work with a new team to craft an offer sheet that the Giants will have a hard time matching.
Which would then make CAA far less likely to sign off on a restructuring of Eli’s deal.