NFL Free Agency 2016 Predictions: New York Giants Sign At Least 5 Big Free Agents
By Neal Lynch
TOP GIANTS FREE AGENTS WHO WILL RE-SIGN:
1. Trumaine McBride, CB – 2 years, 1,200,000 average annual salary
2. Dallas Reynolds, C / G – 2 years, 1,000,000 average annual salary
3. Robert Ayers, DE – 3 years, 6,200,000 average annual salary (his market value)
4. Jasper Brinkely, ILB
5. Brad Wing, P (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
6. Will Tye, TE (ERFA)
7. Orleans Darkwa, RB (ERFA)
TOP GIANTS FREE AGENTS WHO WON’T RE-SIGN:
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
The Giants paid JPP almost $9 million to play in 8 games and collect 1 sack last season. Spotrac has his “market value” at around $12.7 million – $13.4 million per year, which is lower than the franchise tag they placed on him in March 2015. Spotrac also believes he’ll fetch 5 years, ~$64 million in a deal similar to those of Jerry Hughes, Justin Houston, Charles Johnson, and Robert Quinn. Two of the past three seasons have been underwhelming.
Rueben Randle, WR
Randle signed a four year, $3,291,930 contract with the Giants, including a $834,132 signing bonus, $1,007,132 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $822,983. Right now, we don’t know what his market value is but offering anything near or more than $2 million per year seems wrong. Randle’s 24, Marvin Jones is 25 and could get $5.5 million per year. Travis Benjamin, Mohamed Sanu, and Jermaine Kearse are all 26 and could get less than $5 million per year, Alshon Jeffery’s 26 with a market value of $12.8 million per year. Randle’s stats are better than all of them except Jeffery. So, my guess is he’ll want at least $6 million per year. The issue is Randle was a basically #2 receiver on a pass-heavy offense, yet was invisible most of the time and caused numerous interceptions.
Prince Amukamara, CB
Prince wants $10 million per year after earning a career-high close to $7 million in the extended year last season. It’s hard to get a bead on what the market will bear. Josh Norman has a market value of $13.8 million per year, but he’s 28 and Prince is 26. Of the other top free agent cornerbacks at that age – Morris Claiborne, Trumaine Johnson, Sterling Moore, and Casey Hayward – Prince had the biggest cap hit in 2015 but tied for the highest “approximate value” with Trumaine.
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