De Facto, NFL Free Agency is Already Underway

De Facto, NFL Free Agency is Already Underway: Although players can only officially sign with new teams starting on March 12, this year players are allowed to start talking to different teams three days earlier. Thus, de facto, free agency began at midnight last night.

Here is a free agent preview article on the Giants:

• Giants Free Agency Positional Needs by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com

Giants Will Not Raise Ticket Prices in 2013: The Giants announced yesterday that they will not raise ticket prices in 2013, the fourth year in a row they have not done so. However, the team did saying parking will increase to $30 for each game.

More Details on Corey Webster’s New Contract: According to The Daily News, CB Corey Webster’s new contract with the Giants is not just a $3 million pay cut.

Webster’s base salary in 2013 was reduced from $7 million to $1.25 million. But Webster will also earn $250,000 in a workout bonus and $2.5 million in a signing bonus.

Overall, Webster’s 2013 cap hit in 2013 was reduced from $9.845 million to $5.345 million.

Webster’s contract, which was set to expire after 2013, now includes a voidable year in 2014. This allows the Giants to prorate Webster’s new $2.5 million signing bonus over two years. The downside is when Webster voids his contract after 2013, his new contract will cost the Giants $1.25 million in dead money against the 2014 cap.

Osi Umenyiora Says He is Open to Returning to the Giants: Unrestricted free agent DE Osi Umenyiora said yesterday that he is open to returning to the Giants, but he also made it clear that he does not believe the Giants have the financial resources to keep him and the other players they are trying to re-sign.

“I’d love to return there; that’s home. I spent a third of my life there in New York,” said Umenyiora. “But there’s a lot of things that are going to go on there, a lot of people they have to take care of. Obviously they have Jason there, they have Justin Tuck, two outstanding defensive ends. They have other young players they have to take care of, so it’s going to be a a tough situation. But obviously I would love to return, but this is my first chance at free agency, so I have to definitely go see what’s out there.”

“My phone is on. I’m not turning my phone off. I’m open to pretty much every situation right now,” Umenyiora said. “I’d like to go to a situation where I’d be able to win. Everybody likes to say that, but I really mean that. Wherever puts me in the best situation to really go out there and showcase my skills and help them win, I think that’s where I want to go.”

Umenyiora also made a bold prediction that he would be the NFL’s “Defensive Player of the Year” in 2013.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin on The Daily Show: The video of Jon Stewart’s interview with Head Coach Tom Coughlin on Thursday is available at TheDailyShow.com.

Article on WR Victor Cruz: Victor Cruz’s Feel-Good Story Could Turn Sour in Free Agency by Tara Sullivan of The Bergen Record

Article on DT Markus Kuhn: 2012 Rookie Recap: Markus Kuhn by Michael Eisen of Giants.com