If you were to ask the New York Giants fanbase if Big Blue got the most value out of their player contracts from 2015, they’d probably punch you in the gut. But, according to Spotrac.com, it’s the absolute truth. In their valuation of contracts for players who were on the field for 25% or more of their unit’s snaps, the Giants were ranked #1 in “True Value Statistic”, which is defined as “Pro Football Focus ratings in comparison to the player’s most recent salary cap figure.” In simple terms, this rating is an accurate indicator of whether or not the team is getting what they paid for.
New York Giants 2015 Team Cap: $128,376,705 (lowest in the league)
True Value Statistic: 97.17
After reviewing the Giants roster’s value rankings, I was able to come up with the most “value” players (those earning their contract and then some) and the least “value” players (those who weren’t worth the cost).
NOTE: You’ll notice that Victor Cruz, Jon Beason, and Will Beatty are missing. They either didn’t play at all (Cruz, Beatty) or played less than the threshold of snaps (Beason), so it’s safe to say their value is 0 or close to it. Also missing – for some reason – are the offensive linemen. If I had to guess, Weston Richburg was high value (Pro Bowl Snub, Runner-up Breakout Player of the Year) while Marshall Newhouse was low value. PFF ranked them tied for 20th in the league.
The most “value” player? Robert Ayers, Jr.
Ayers had the 2nd highest value among defensive ends and the 54th highest average annual salary among defensive ends. His “TVS” is 98.12 out of 100.
He was voted “best defender” on the team by Pro Football Focus:
"“New York Giants: Robert Ayers, DE, 88.5 Signature stat: 48 QB pressures (team-high) Finally getting a bigger role in the Giants’ defensive line rotation this season, Ayers delivered in spades after his return from injury against the Cowboys in Week 7. He recorded multiple pressures in every game he played this season, and earned a negative overall game grade only once all year (Week 9 at Tampa Bay).”"
Robert Ayers 2015 Contract Details:
- Base Salary: $1,230,000
- Signing Bonus: $500,000
- Roster Bonus: $687,500
- Workout Bonus: $20,000
- 2015 Cap Hit: $2,437,500
Next: MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS