JPP has handled things terribly from the perspective of a Giants fan. I'm frustrated, Mr. Mara sounds fed up, and Coughlin must make the playoffs. We need answers.. And now! The season is far away.. Yet right around the corner. Not to mention the top quality doctors and facilities at the Giant's disposal.
Now, put your own fan biase aside, can you understand why a player (not under contract) would try and gain leverage by any means necessary?
Is there some deadline his agent is eyeing before allowing JPP to sign?
Why wait until he passes the physical? He loses out on money whether he's on some list or doesn't sign. Please try and explain his agents advice...
There is no value in JPP "showing his hand" (pun intended) and confirming the damage. Right now, the Giants are the only team that can pay JPP in 2015. If JPP's agent is successful in pissing the Giants off to the extent that they withdraw the tender and release him, he now has a pool of 31 teams that might be willing to pay him in 2015.
IF there is a chance JPP's career is over, he's banking on one of the 31 medical departments to conclude his injuries aren't that bad and signing JPP to some kind of a contract is a worthwhile risk.
How would JPP's current course of action lead to the Giants releasing him? If he's not reporting, they have no need to release him, they can simply wait - that may be frustrating, but it's costless to them.
Up until his injury had zero issue with his stance. Hey. If u want to play under the one year deal done too. But if his hand is so bad all he is is giving the Giants extra cash for next year. If it isn't he could maybe come back. But as it stands his decisions make very little sense.
He has no leverage at all
Given the events of 7/4/15, I think JPP and his "handlers" had two choices:
1) Come clean, accept responsibility, try to make the best of a very bad situation, agree to some kind of pro-rated, conditional contract, report on time, do cardio conditioning, learn the new defense etc.
2) Keep everyone in the dark, maybe initially exaggerate the extent of the injuries, try to piss the Giants off and get them to release him.
I agree in either case, he really doesn't have any leverage. JPP has obviously not chosen 1) above. The only thing that remotely matches his behavior must be 2). I agree, the Giants can wait him out; maybe he or his handlers don't know that.
Besides the fact that JPP literally can't sign his tender with his right hand in a cast, if he were able to sign it, the Giants would immediately put him on NFI for failing his physical. They could then keep him on NFI without paying him a dime for the whole season. And JPP would have no leverage to prevent it.
If he waits until his own doctors say he is healthy enough to practice (i.e., no risk to re-injuring the hand) and then shows up to sign his tender, he could then contend that the Giants don't have the legal right to put him on NFI. Whether that's true or not, could wind up in court, but at least it gives JPP a leg to stand on.
In the meantime, I'm sure he is confident in his own doctors and his agent figures the less the Giants know about the extent of the damage now, the more difficult it will be to assess the ramifications of the damage when the hand is healed.
This is my best guess at why JPP and his agent are playing it this way.
It sounds like we may not see him in NY until possibly after week 1. I agree with Eric on this one, no way JPP contributes much this regular season. New coach and he needs to refine his technique.
I hope he somehow matures after reflecting on all this. His psyche still needs to heal as well
Eli and this offense needs to carry this team the first 10 games
If it's possible that he could be stopping the run and sacking QB's as early as Thanksgiving, it will be worth it for the Giants to negotiate some kind of incentive based one year deal that will be mutually beneficial to both sides.
The Giants just need to go 6-4 over the first ten games in order to be in excellent position for the stretch run to the playoffs. Even at 5-5, the back end of their schedule is weak enough that finishing 10-6 would still be very do-able if things started to click for them after the bye.
If JPP comes up big in a run to another Super Bowl trophy while playing on a one year incentive based deal that ultimately pays him roughly half the $14.8M franchise price, we will look back upon the 4th of July mishap in a much different light.
On the plus side as the Galette signing shows. You can be the biggest pile of shit and get a shot as a DE so he will play somewhere next year I guess
The key is that JPP and the Giants may have a different opinion on when he is healthy enough to contribute in a meaningful way. And JPP and his agent don't want to allow the Giants to hold all the cards that way. That's not the best position from which to negotiate a one year incentive based deal. The healthier he is at the time of negotiations, the better will be JPP's chances of getting a favorable deal.
Well, I can guarantee that there is no way in hell any other team is going to pay him $14.8 million to play this year. NOBODY. So, why wouldn't he sign the tender? The Giants already told him that they wouldn't put him on the NFI list if he attended training camp so that he can sit in on the meetings to learn the defense.
JPP is being really stupid. I don't care what his agent is telling him. He is being stupid. If I was the GM of the Giants, I'd tell him to go stick a firecracker up his ass and light it.
JPP clearly thinks his best position is to hold out as long as possible to either minimize the number of games he doesn't get paid for or to maximize the dollars of a compromise contract.
Anyhow, before the accident, wasn't he threatening to hold out for training camp? we probably weren't going to see him the first half of camp anyway.
I'm not sure the academic/classroom is as big a deal as it's being made out to be. It helps, but for a guy not known to be cerebral, the biggest thing is be on the field practicing it,which is going to be a physical impossibility for quite a while.
all told, the Giants don't have as much leverage as is being alleged. Sure, as long as he's not signed they don't have to pay him, but when he is physically ready to play, they want him scheme ready to play. as JPP nears being able to play, they're going to start getting more anxious to get him in the facility and will start offering more concessions. that's going to mean paying him during the last few weeks of his rehab. Presumably, he's missing the first couple of games no matter what. They have the PR moral high ground, but that's about it. I'm guessing they can guarantee his entire salary and have him signed tomorrow, sight unseen, but that's not likely to happen. JPP wants to salvage as much money as possible, Giants want to minimize how much they'll pay him during rehab. it'll be a standoff until the picture becomes clearer as to when JPP will return. and then we'll see who has leverage.
I'm sure JPPs agent has arranged for first class medical care. Barnes is a trainer. So, the idea that JPP is not getting the best care because he doesn't see the Giants doctor is pure BS. Giants want their doctors to examine him so they can make an informed decision about what to do.
JPP is denying them that info. He knows there are a couple of OL out there the Giants could sign with that money. As long as the team thinks JPP might play, they won't withdraw the tender-or at least that is what he is hoping.
Besides the fact that JPP literally can't sign his tender with his right hand in a cast, if he were able to sign it, the Giants would immediately put him on NFI for failing his physical. They could then keep him on NFI without paying him a dime for the whole season. And JPP would have no leverage to prevent it.
If he waits until his own doctors say he is healthy enough to practice (i.e., no risk to re-injuring the hand) and then shows up to sign his tender, he could then contend that the Giants don't have the legal right to put him on NFI. Whether that's true or not, could wind up in court, but at least it gives JPP a leg to stand on.
In the meantime, I'm sure he is confident in his own doctors and his agent figures the less the Giants know about the extent of the damage now, the more difficult it will be to assess the ramifications of the damage when the hand is healed.
This is my best guess at why JPP and his agent are playing it this way.
Thank you for explaining to the haters why JPP is playing it the way he is. It's a business and he is doing what he sees as in his interests, just as the Giants are. He doesn't owe anything to the Giants or his critics on BBI.
He wants the Giants to pay him 14.8 million fucking dollars and he doesn't owe them anything? If it was me about to pay him that much money you're damn right I'd expect a little cooperation.