unless he signs elsewhere in the NFCE, in which case he can drop dead.
Kidding - thanks for everything VC, very sorry that you were injured and that it had to go that way, but you were a great Giant for your tenure, and your tenacity in your return from injury was admirable.
he can't play outside at an NFL level and he isn't better than Shepard. Hope he finds a home or does whatever makes him happy, but the Giants were more than fair with him and now need to move on.
and the move had to be made its still a sad day. His 2011 season and that 99 yard catch remain legendary in Giants history. I'll never get tired of watching his highlights from that season.
and that's coming from a big time Cruz apologist throughout 2016. The whole offense never got going and Cruz's numbers as a 3rd receiver were in line with that of a 3rd receiver on a bad offense.
Still, at the end of the day he was a 3rd WR making 7 million dollars with a couple other guys on the roster who showed flashes of quality play. It's the right move, as shitty as it feels.
the NFL is a results business. The reality is the Shepard took his roster spot. Playing on the outside, where he didn't have size, and the speed was gone, made him an after thought. This is Odell's team. Shepard in Cruz's old position in the slot. That he was on the bench late for King in the Packers game kind of said it all.
Cruz was a great story and a wonderful Giant. I'm happy for him that he was able to get that big contract before the injuries set in starting in 2013 with the knee injury vs. the Seahawks. He was able to cash out where Steve Smith got burned.
I wish him the best of luck, but the amount of injuries made him a shell of his former self, and all the credit for him to fight his way back, but his salary number made him impossible to bring back at that number. And per my post a few weeks back, where I asked if the Giants did him a disservice, he's not really a fit on the team anymore. It was time to move on.
Cap hit too much, and his ability as an outside receiver just isn't what the team needs.
I'll leave the Miami boat trip out of this.
Victor was a great Giant. I will personally never forget what he did during the entire 2011 season, and the NFC Championship game in SF.
Thank you Victor, and best of luck to you!
Agreed. Congratulations on all you achieved Victor, and best of luck in your future. I'm sure you'll be incredibly successful if you continue your football career, or with the next chapter in your life. Your contributions as a Giant will never be forgotten.
Reminds me of Mark Bavaro playing for the Eagles. You had to root for him. It was not as if he left voluntarily to play for another team; he also suffered injuries that caused the Giants to cut him.
He's seemed, wisely, to have his mind on life after football for a while now.
He and Nicks are lessons in how quickly things can change, and how important it is for the Giants to maintain a pipeline of fresh talent while remaining financially flexible.
On July 8, 2013 Cruz signed a 5 year, $46 million dollar deal. Since that day here's what they got out of Cruz (4 total seasons):
35 games played
29 games missed
135 receptions
1921 yards
6 TDs
This was a major case of paying for past performance.
I just hope the Giants have a plan in place to replace Cruz with a veteran FA. I would have liked to see Cruz stick around as the 4th WR. You'd think he would be a nice backup to Shepard and a guy that could play outside in a pinch. Hard to ignore some signs that we saw in 2016. The whole offense was weird so it was hard to judge Cruz I guess the Giants saw enough on tape to conclude the guy's done. He didn't get any separation on the outside...
He's seemed, wisely, to have his mind on life after football for a while now.
He and Nicks are lessons in how quickly things can change, and how important it is for the Giants to maintain a pipeline of fresh talent while remaining financially flexible.
On July 8, 2013 Cruz signed a 5 year, $46 million dollar deal. Since that day here's what they got out of Cruz (4 total seasons):
35 games played
29 games missed
135 receptions
1921 yards
6 TDs
This was a major case of paying for past performance.
Yup. After the 2011 SB, we thought we had a top 5 WR duo with Nicks & Cruz.
we are making assumptions that Cruz wanted to come back. For all we know, the Giants came to him and offered him a paycut and incentives. When Cruz saw how he played out last year, and with Odell entering his contract years, and with Shepard in year 2, Cruz was not going to put up any numbers in this offense. He may well have said that he would like to move on. I honestly think that both sides realized that they thank each other for their joint success in the past, but it was time to go their separate ways.
but we all knew it was coming. He was due $9.4 million for '17, way too much to be the team's #4 receiver in catches. But the memories are golden and I wish him the best. I hope he finds a team with a good QB that puts him back in the slot where he belongs.
the guy was what...26 at the time? BArely ever injured. showing no signs of regression. You have a 30 year old QB. How do you not sign Cruz? Tough sell there. Easy to second guess now. Cruz was a safer bet than signing Snacks Harrison last spring. For starters, Cruz has produced as a Giant. Great off the field. Signing Cruz was a no brainer. It just blew up. Every signing is a risk. With inaction comes risk too.
...as best as your interests don't conflict with ours.
It's the right decision. He can't operate on the outside and the future of the slot for us is Sheppard. Time to move on. His cap space will be spent much better elsewhere.
I'll never forget how he exploded on the scene or his incredible run in the Jets game and so many more moments. Including a Superbowl Championship.
The unfortunate side to the NFL... A move that had to be made.
The NFL does not keep players like Cruz on teams to be 4th WR. They almost always let the guy go to find something else. He could still work as a slot WR, but here, Shepard is better
the guy was what...26 at the time? BArely ever injured. showing no signs of regression. You have a 30 year old QB. How do you not sign Cruz? Tough sell there. Easy to second guess now. Cruz was a safer bet than signing Snacks Harrison last spring. For starters, Cruz has produced as a Giant. Great off the field. Signing Cruz was a no brainer. It just blew up. Every signing is a risk. With inaction comes risk too.
Hey I was in the same boat at the time. I was pissed when they didn't bring back Manningham, as I thought they had a great thing with those three guys together. I wanted them all signed long term.
my brother in law (season ticket for Jet owner) took me to the game. Fans were still in buying into Rex mode giving me "the business". Then 3rd and 10, late in the 2nd quarter, down 7-3, #80 with the 99 yard TD! Changed the game and was probably where the Superbowl was built upon!
It's a travesty that we, as Giants fans, never got to see the real VC and OBJ on the field together at the same time.
I hope that if nobody signs him, we can bring him to camp fro the vet minimum. I think there's a chance he might have still been recovering, and that he can come back and contribute in some form.
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
If that were the case, he wouldn't have scratched and clawed to get back on the field in '16.
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
If that were the case, he wouldn't have scratched and clawed to get back on the field in '16.
He had no choice or he was getting cut last pre-season. They basically gave him an ultimatum with 2 games left in the pre-season that if he didn't get on the field and show he can do it, he was gone. He was cleared well before he appeared in a game but he kept "tweaking" things and kept himself out. I don't believe the team was confident he was fully mentally invested. That's kinda the harsh reality.
Doesn't diminish what he did for the franchise pre-injury. His 2011 was legendary and we dont win a title without him.
See how he would have done in the slot in a 4 WR set. But BM refused to change his formations.
THIS. and I was just thinking about Cruz and how he had another offseason to strengthen his leg and come back stronger next year.
Like you, I would have liked to see Cruz back in the slot, a second year away from his injuries. But I guess it's not to be.
As for Cruz not especially wanting to be back in football, I can't say for myself but it really appeared that he had thrown himself into difficult rehabilitation and wanted nothing better than to be back on the field.
2010 - One great pre-season game
2011 - Great Season
2012 - Good/Great Season
2013 - Meh
2014 - Injured
2015 - Guest Starred on Ballers
2016 - Meh
Hasn't been a huge factor since 2012.
Bye
There was no real drop off from 2012 to 2013. In terms of yards gained and yards per reception, Cruz's 2013 season was on track to be just as good as 2012 (or even somewhat better) until he was injured in Week 15 game vs Seahawks. That happened on a high pass where he sacrificed his body making the effort and came down with a concussion and knee sprain.
And his 2011 season ranks with the greatest seasons any Giants' receiver has ever had.
You don't do all that rehab if your heart isn't in it.
And everyone and their mother thought it was a great idea to re-sign him while still leaving available funds for Nicks. That's what a catastrophic injury like a patella tear does. Does Cruz have a lot of options after football? Sure. It's not outlandish to think so. But for area junc to say with absolute certainty that he doesn't care about football on the day he was cut, that strikes me as wrong. Especially when he spends a lot of his time pursuing this faux insider status in which Anthony Davis is a Giant, and the secrets of the 2005 Bears/Giants halftime shall never be uttered.
you don't come back from a brutal injury--rehabbing for two years if you don't care.
Just because Cruz wasn't productive doesn't mean he didn't do everything he could to play at the highest level. He was playing out of position. He's lost a step. And he was the 3rd or 4th option in a struggling offense. That's why he's no longer a Giant.
More
I'm told the NYG just released Victor Cruz. Source: Cruz "is OK."
My feelings exactly. End of an era.
Kidding - thanks for everything VC, very sorry that you were injured and that it had to go that way, but you were a great Giant for your tenure, and your tenacity in your return from injury was admirable.
I'll leave the Miami boat trip out of this.
Victor was a great Giant. I will personally never forget what he did during the entire 2011 season, and the NFC Championship game in SF.
Thank you Victor, and best of luck to you!
Best wishes.
Still, at the end of the day he was a 3rd WR making 7 million dollars with a couple other guys on the roster who showed flashes of quality play. It's the right move, as shitty as it feels.
Cruz was a great story and a wonderful Giant. I'm happy for him that he was able to get that big contract before the injuries set in starting in 2013 with the knee injury vs. the Seahawks. He was able to cash out where Steve Smith got burned.
I wish him the best of luck, but the amount of injuries made him a shell of his former self, and all the credit for him to fight his way back, but his salary number made him impossible to bring back at that number. And per my post a few weeks back, where I asked if the Giants did him a disservice, he's not really a fit on the team anymore. It was time to move on.
I'll leave the Miami boat trip out of this.
Victor was a great Giant. I will personally never forget what he did during the entire 2011 season, and the NFC Championship game in SF.
Thank you Victor, and best of luck to you!
Agreed. Congratulations on all you achieved Victor, and best of luck in your future. I'm sure you'll be incredibly successful if you continue your football career, or with the next chapter in your life. Your contributions as a Giant will never be forgotten.
classy guy
Reminds me of Mark Bavaro playing for the Eagles. You had to root for him. It was not as if he left voluntarily to play for another team; he also suffered injuries that caused the Giants to cut him.
He and Nicks are lessons in how quickly things can change, and how important it is for the Giants to maintain a pipeline of fresh talent while remaining financially flexible.
On July 8, 2013 Cruz signed a 5 year, $46 million dollar deal. Since that day here's what they got out of Cruz (4 total seasons):
35 games played
29 games missed
135 receptions
1921 yards
6 TDs
This was a major case of paying for past performance.
So I presume the Giants are signing a vet FA.
He and Nicks are lessons in how quickly things can change, and how important it is for the Giants to maintain a pipeline of fresh talent while remaining financially flexible.
On July 8, 2013 Cruz signed a 5 year, $46 million dollar deal. Since that day here's what they got out of Cruz (4 total seasons):
35 games played
29 games missed
135 receptions
1921 yards
6 TDs
This was a major case of paying for past performance.
Yup. After the 2011 SB, we thought we had a top 5 WR duo with Nicks & Cruz.
Seems so long ago.
Injuries and time... they remain undefeated
It's the right decision. He can't operate on the outside and the future of the slot for us is Sheppard. Time to move on. His cap space will be spent much better elsewhere.
I'll never forget how he exploded on the scene or his incredible run in the Jets game and so many more moments. Including a Superbowl Championship.
The NFL does not keep players like Cruz on teams to be 4th WR. They almost always let the guy go to find something else. He could still work as a slot WR, but here, Shepard is better
He would be perfect for Cincy
Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. All Super Bowl winners, all flashed huge potential and put up big seasons.
All 3 probably never able to realize their true potential due to injury.
Sad.
This
Hey I was in the same boat at the time. I was pissed when they didn't bring back Manningham, as I thought they had a great thing with those three guys together. I wanted them all signed long term.
It turns out I could not have been more wrong.
Thank You Victor!
Thank you Victor!
Thank you VC!
Good luck VC!
Save whats left of the knee.
I hope that if nobody signs him, we can bring him to camp fro the vet minimum. I think there's a chance he might have still been recovering, and that he can come back and contribute in some form.
but then again, better to burn out, than to fade away. (Even though he did kinda fade away this season.)
No worries.
A great New York Giant.
Thanks for your work, Victor!
THIS. and I was just thinking about Cruz and how he had another offseason to strengthen his leg and come back stronger next year.
In those 4 seasons, he averaged 70 catches, 1053 yards and 6 TDs.
Damn injuries.
All-time Giant.
Da fuq?
http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/13/news/victor-cruz-nfl-money/index.html?iid=hp-stack-dom
Total cheap-shot.
With all your faux insider bullshit, you remain one of the worst posters around here.
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
2010 - One great pre-season game
2011 - Great Season
2012 - Good/Great Season
2013 - Meh
2014 - Injured
2015 - Guest Starred on Ballers
2016 - Meh
Hasn't been a huge factor since 2012.
Bye
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
If that were the case, he wouldn't have scratched and clawed to get back on the field in '16.
Quote:
I'm not sure area junc is too far off here.
Nothing concrete, but just getting a weird vibe from him since his pre-calf injury days. Cruz has a lot of off-the-field options. I'm not sure how important the game really is to him anymore. But he wasn't going to kiss that fat contract goodbye the Giants were giving him.
If that were the case, he wouldn't have scratched and clawed to get back on the field in '16.
He had no choice or he was getting cut last pre-season. They basically gave him an ultimatum with 2 games left in the pre-season that if he didn't get on the field and show he can do it, he was gone. He was cleared well before he appeared in a game but he kept "tweaking" things and kept himself out. I don't believe the team was confident he was fully mentally invested. That's kinda the harsh reality.
Doesn't diminish what he did for the franchise pre-injury. His 2011 was legendary and we dont win a title without him.
Quote:
See how he would have done in the slot in a 4 WR set. But BM refused to change his formations.
THIS. and I was just thinking about Cruz and how he had another offseason to strengthen his leg and come back stronger next year.
Like you, I would have liked to see Cruz back in the slot, a second year away from his injuries. But I guess it's not to be.
As for Cruz not especially wanting to be back in football, I can't say for myself but it really appeared that he had thrown himself into difficult rehabilitation and wanted nothing better than to be back on the field.
But as for me, I have no knowledge.
2010 - One great pre-season game
2011 - Great Season
2012 - Good/Great Season
2013 - Meh
2014 - Injured
2015 - Guest Starred on Ballers
2016 - Meh
Hasn't been a huge factor since 2012.
Bye
There was no real drop off from 2012 to 2013. In terms of yards gained and yards per reception, Cruz's 2013 season was on track to be just as good as 2012 (or even somewhat better) until he was injured in Week 15 game vs Seahawks. That happened on a high pass where he sacrificed his body making the effort and came down with a concussion and knee sprain.
And his 2011 season ranks with the greatest seasons any Giants' receiver has ever had.
He would have cared, but someone lied to him about the Giants signing Anthony Davis. Totally bummed him out.
And BBI hasn't cared about your horse shit musings for quite some time.
You don't play in the NFL for a full year without caring and live to tell about it.
Just because Cruz wasn't productive doesn't mean he didn't do everything he could to play at the highest level. He was playing out of position. He's lost a step. And he was the 3rd or 4th option in a struggling offense. That's why he's no longer a Giant.
Oh shut it for fucks sake. New England never re-signed one of its own free agents is that it?