Restricted Free Agency Ends – Victor Cruz and Andre Brown Still Giants

Restricted Free Agency Ends – Victor Cruz and Andre Brown Still Giants: The restricted free agency period ended last night at midnight. The only two restricted free agents on the Giants who remain unsigned are WR Victor Cruz ($2.879 million tender) and RB Andre Brown ($2.023 million tender).

If either player remains unsigned by June 17, League rules permit the Giants to reduce their tender offers to 110 percent of their respective 2012 salaries. In the case of Cruz, that would be a dramatic reduction to $594,000. (The Daily News does say the amount would be the veteran minimum for a 3-year veteran or $630,000).

The options for both players are now limited. They can choose to sign their 1-year tenders or have their agents continue to seek longer-team deals. But they cannot change teams unless the Giants trade or cut them. Both could holdout, though that option seems unlikely for Brown.

Cruz is currently absent from the Giants’ “voluntary” offseason workout program (Brown has been participating). The first mandatory team event for Cruz to participate in is the Giants’ full-team mini-camp on June 11-13.

Article on Rich Seubert and the 2013 NFL Draft: Rich Seubert to Announce 2nd Round Pick by Michael Eisen of Giants.com

Quotes: Former Giants OG Rich Seubert on the Giants: “That’s the only team I can watch. As the great Wellington Mara once said, ‘Once a Giant, Always a Giant.’ My kids’ rooms are plastered in Giants gear. I spend however much money it costs to get the NFL Ticket to watch the Giants games. Then I realized last year that the Giants have a lot of nationally televised games, so I didn’t even need NFL Ticket. That’s the only team I follow. I think playing for the same team for 10 years and what they’ve meant to me, it’s hard to watch anybody else.”