Whenever the Giants’ potential offseason salary cap cuts are discussed – like Tuesday morning, for example – fans and readers are very passionate about Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s inclusion on the list.
Who should be Giants’ free agency priority after JPP?
For many, the mere suggestion the Giants could part ways with the veteran cornerback is cause for outrage. The guy earned All-Pro honors as a slot cornerback, after all, and the whole world saw the Giants go off the rails in Green Bay after he got injured against the Packers in the playoffs.
The situation is not as simple as what DRC does on the field, though. There’s a lot more nuance to it.
THE NUMBERS:
Rodgers-Cromartie is scheduled to make $6.98 million in 2017, with a salary cap hit of $9 million. Both his salary ($6.48 million) and cap hit ($8.5 million) decrease in 2018, the final year of his deal. That is an extremely team-friendly deal if he’s one of your top two cornerbacks, but he’s not that with the Giants.
Even with Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins both battling injuries at certain points of the season, Rodgers-Cromartie still only played 66.13 percent of the Giants’ defensive snaps. He was the clear No. 3 cornerback. Head coach Ben McAdoo may have called him a starter all year, and general manager Jerry Reese may be right a team can never have too many good corners, but do the Giants want to pay $7 million to a third cornerback who turns 31 in April?
If the Giants cut Rodgers-Cromartie, they will save $5 million in cap space and eat $4 million in dead money.
HOW TO REPLACE HIM:
This year’s NFL Draft will have a strong cornerback crop. The Giants could decide they will get a suitable third corner in the middle rounds for a lot cheaper. The Giants could also turn to a less-pricy veteran. Coty Sensabaugh is the obvious answer after signing with the Giants during the season after being cut by the Rams.
Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan, a former Rutgers star and Eli Apple’s friend from back home in Voorhees, N.J., could be another option. If the front office gets creative with the first-year cap number, the Giants could have a net gain in cap space by the end.
Key Giants dates this offseason
WHAT HAPPENS WITH A TRADE?
The Giants would get the same $5 million in savings/$4 million in dead money if they traded Rodgers-Cromartie. If they plan to release him, they would be foolish to not pursue a trade first, and see if they can get something back. This is where the contract comes into play again.
Getting two years of Rodgers-Cromartie on his current deal is a tremendous bargain if he is your No. 1 or No. 2 cornerback. That deal should intrigue teams. The question is what the Giants would get back in return. They would likely be looking at a later-round draft pick, but they could get lucky and get a player – maybe an offensive lineman?
OR THEY JUST KEEP HIM?
Rodgers-Cromartie is a bit pricy for a third corner, but the Giants aren’t really hurting for cap flexibility. He graciously accepted his reduced role behind Apple and Jenkins and was a team leader, as well as an integral part of the Giants’ defensive success. There’s no debating the fact Rodgers-Cromartie makes the Giants a better team when he’s healthy and playing, wherever they have him lined up.
There’s always the potential for a re-negotiated deal, but the Giants would have to pony up guaranteed money over the next two years to make it worth Rodgers-Cromartie’s while. He’s already underpaid according to the market, and he would likely generate more money by becoming a free agent.
OUR TAKE:
The Giants should keep Rodgers-Cromartie for the time being, but shop him around on the trade market once the new league year begins. The cap situation is the same, so the Giants might as well try to get an asset back for him. If no trade develops, they should keep him.
Designating Rodgers-Cromartie as a post-June 1 cut would save $7 million in cap space with just $2 million in dead money, so that is a possibility if a replacement is drafted, but what good is that for the Giants after free agency? They’re trying to win now, and Rodgers-Cromartie only helps that cause by being on the team, or going elsewhere for a solid return.
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
