Victor Cruz - 5-yr extension for $43 million

Of course the injuries are a factor, but they may be with JPP as well.

Considering that JPP figures to cost much more than Nicks, if it comes down to one or the other I don't think it's a contest. Sign Nicks.

Eli is 32. The time to surround him with the best possible tools (that means familiarity with both Eli and the offensive system) is now. No more wasting Eli time on getting guys acclimated.

I'd keep Nicks at his probable 10mil a year salary over JPP at his probable 14-16mil a year salary

Luckily we don't have to decide today and with JPP we have a min of 2 more years

Reese may be making that decision sooner than that though if it's decided that signing Nicks precludes signing JPP.

the whole JPP vs Nicks thing is brutally hard to determine. Even last year's version of JPP was damn good. Was Nicks really more important to that 2011 team than JPP?

JPP was the best player on the field at times in 2011. I can't see the Giants letting that kind of player walk. Stud pass rushers are so hard to find.

I'd rather not think about JPP just yet. We have time and Nicks is the guy to worry about. Remember, a lot of former cap killers are coming off the books soon. Tuck, Diehl, Rolle, Snee, Webster maybe Baas....we will have room to sign the next wave of stars. The transition has already begun.

UNLESS we can get Nicks NOW for a low figure like 7-9/year(most likely NOT happening), I would let Nicks play out this season and if he has a terrific year and actually plays an entire 16 healthy, I'd franchise him while trying to work out a long term deal..NO WAY I sign him to a big contract now. I would think the Giants want to see him perform in top notch fashion, injury-free(other than usual minor stuff players go through) before committing big money to him and I as a fan support that 100%

...they will re-sign both. The money can always be worked out.

The guys who the Giants truly want to keep, they keep. The only one who got away that they wanted to keep was Steve Smith, but that was partly due to the fact that he didn't give them a chance to match the Eagles offer and partly due to the uncertainty surrounding his return from injury.

$10M annually is especially probable for Nicks. If he establishes that he can be his 2011 self again, the VJax and D. Bowe contracts (both in the $11M-$12M per year range) are where he's going to start the bidding.

And if he doesn't have a good year, health-wise, I suspect that he'd go for a 1 or 2 year extension before he'd sign a long-term deal at a lower figure.

to say that signing one guy means there is no way you can sign another

behind your own idea :)

but I am really worried about Nicks injury history and that is why I would wait to give him a big contract, he needs to play this whole year at an elite level

Regarding JPP, I know I am in the minority, but I just don't have him in that phenom category yet. He was one of the best on our D last year and maybe our poor defensive performance hurt him as well but I just don't have him in Mario Williams money territory. Note, I am not saying that he would get that from someone, I just don't want that someone to be the Giants until JPP really performs this year at a minimum.

Again, i know I may be in the minority but I just don't see how losing JPP hurts all that much when the defense collectively is so porous.

I just finished reading all the postes in this thread which has turned into a Nicks VS JPP discussion.

My thoughts on Nicks are that the Giants should wait to see his health throughout this season before determining his value. My guess is they will do that because his health has been an issue. I agree with those who say if he has health issues again or a sub par performance season the Giants aren'r going to make him a big offer and I won't blame them.

Too early to discuss JPP.

A strong argument could be made that the very best defenders in the league (say, Revis, Aldon Smith, or DeMarcus Ware) aren't worth Mario Williams money. The recent Super Bowl champions have not been strong defensive teams:

NFL rank in points scored/allowed:

2012 Ravens: 10th/12th
2011 Giants: 9th/25th
2010 Packers: 10th/2nd
2009 Saints: 1st/20th
2008 Steelers: 20th/1st
2007 Giants: 14th/17th
2006 Colts: 2nd/23rd
2005 Steelers: 9th/4th

Average ranking: 9th/13th

While that's hardly a robust scientific analysis, I do think it lends a bit to the idea that offense has had a greater role in winning titles...particularly in the example of our two titles. Consider also that the presence of the Steelers twice in that list skews the numbers a bit as they have been a team built completely on defense in recent years.

are somewhat deceiving. The defense was fantastic in the playoffs. In both runs, they shutdown the best offense in the NFL.

You can say the Giants on that list twice also skews the numbers.

Just curious bro...Why did you start from 2005? Was there is historical scenario I missed? Personally, I would have started from 2002, the first year of realignment when the divisions were altered, making the playoff format different then it used to be.

forever and an all time great at that. His play as a rookie was reminiscent of LT type dominance.

Exactly what was offered to steve smith, with an extra year. Good move vic!

No reason really. There didn't seem to be a spot that made sense to stop...though I guess you could say 2005 was the first season the Giants really started competing in the Coughlin/Eli era, so that's as good a spot as any.

We'll keep them both. The guy we'll be letting go because of the cap is Linval Joseph. There is other cap saving to be had as we all know. The bargain we got on Cruz allows us the flexibility for JPP and Nicks.

it will be because he did not get a Mario Williams contract offer. can't see him getting that type of deal here. can't see anyone getting that type of money here except for QB1.