Giants quarterback Eli Manning hopes to see wide receiver Victor Cruz at the team’s offseason workouts soon, a hope that was either fueled or held in check depending on what media outlet Manning uses for his daily updates.
If he read the New York Post, Manning would learn that contract talks were on the “two-yard line” and that “both sides just need to give a little bit” to get things into the end zone. Over at ESPNNewYork.com, though, the talks are described as “status quo.” The New York Daily News also hears that nothing is imminent between the two sides, but “that could change at any moment” because Cruz has lowered his contract demands from a reported $10-11 million annual salary.
Hearing from Cruz himself doesn’t do all that much to clear up the discrepancies.
“In a perfect world, I want to finish my career here,” Cruz said, via the Post. “I’m from here, born and raised in New Jersey. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else. But I understand it’s a business and all of that. In a perfect world, this is where I’d like to be. I’d rather not answer any type of questions now, but it’s moving.”
PFT reported last week that the next 7-10 days were seen as important for getting a long-term deal done with Cruz, although there was no word on exactly why that was the case since there was no meaningful deadline until the Giants could slash Cruz’s offer on June 17. We’re nearing the end of that apparently vital stretch and, as you can tell, everyone’s taking a guess as to whether or not a deal will get done before the period is up.