A familiar face could help Victor Cruz find a job.
Cruz, who was released by the Giants last week, visited the Carolina Panthers over the weekend, according to Black and Blue Review. There is an obvious connection in Carolina, as Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman was the Giants’ pro personnel director when Cruz was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010.
On-field impact of Giants releasing Victor Cruz and Rashad Jennings
Black and Blue review reported that Cruz left the visit without a contract, but the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Monday afternoon that Cruz’s visit had not yet ended. Cruz is free to sign with any team immediately.
The Giants released Cruz last Monday to free $7.5 million in salary cap space. The 30-year-old Paterson native had 39 catches for 586 yards and one touchdown last season in his return from the calf and knee injuries that sidelined him for most of the previous two seasons.
Gettleman spent 13 years in the Giants’ front office before getting hired as the Panthers’ general manager in 2013. Cruz was a major success story during Gettleman’s tenure, as the UMass product developed into a Pro Bowl receiver.
The Panthers are looking for a veteran receiver to complement tight end Greg Olsen and wideout Kelvin Benjamin. The Panthers went 6-10 last season after reaching the Super Bowl in the 2015 season.
Possible Cruz replacements
There have been conflicting reports about the Denver Broncos’ potential interest in Cruz. The bottom line is that there is at least some interest in Cruz, who made it clear that he plans to continue playing.
“I think I have a lot of good football left ahead of me,” Cruz said in a release announcing his departure. “I think there is still a lot of miles left on this body. I’ll definitely be searching and looking for work as the time comes.”
Cruz and veteran running back Rashad Jennings are the only players the Giants have released this offseason. Releasing Jennings saved the Giants $2.5 million in cap space.
Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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