HOUSTON — Victor Cruz’s future with the Giants has been the subject of intense speculation for weeks, but the star wide receiver still has no inkling whether or not he will be back in 2017.
“Not yet,” Cruz told a group of Giants beat writers Thursday before filming began on Nickelodeon’s Superstar Slime Showdown at Super Bowl, which airs Sunday at 12 p.m. Eastern.
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“I’m just handling things accordingly, going about my business the way I go about it. I haven’t heard anything from the Giants. But obviously in my heart, I want to stay here and finish my career here for as long as God determines.”
Cruz’s comments echoed what he said earlier this week during an SNY podcast, where he said the “the ball is in [the Giants’] court” when asked about his status going forward. Cruz, 30, is due to have a $9.4 million salary cap hit in 2017, and the Giants can save $7.5 million against the cap by releasing him.
Cruz took a major cut last offseason, reducing his base salary to $1.3 million from a previously-scheduled $7.9 million after missing almost all of the last two seasons with a torn right patellar (2014) and torn left calf (2015). If the Giants opt to keep Cruz, he almost assuredly will be required to take another major reduction in salary. Cruz conceded that, while hinting he does not necessarily feel he needs to agree to such a drastic cut after proving he can stay healthy this past season.
“Last year, coming off two injury-riddled seasons, I knew that (a salary cut) was coming,” Cruz said. “Even this year, I understand the business side of it, and I understand what my numbers are, what I’m due to make next year. But it’s a little different having played and feeling good about myself, being confident with my abilities I can do, as opposed to last year, where it was still kind of unknown going into camp and going into OTAs. But now it feels a little bit better.”
One of the more underplayed aspects of Cruz’s situation: Even at a reduced salary, is there a place for him on the Giants? Cruz made a name for himself as the team’s slot receiver, but that role clearly has been handed to Sterling Shepard. Cruz made plays as an outside receiver, but the Giants likely would prefer to pair a bigger pass catcher with more big-play speed on the outside opposite Odell Beckham Jr.
Would Cruz be better off taking his release and signing with a team that would play him in the slot regularly?
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“That’s a good question. Maybe. You never know,” Cruz said. “I think you’ve just got to take it as it comes, eat the food that’s given to you, and see how it tastes. That’s kind of the term I like to use. But we’ll see. Playing the slot is obviously something that I’m best at, and an opportunity to do that would definitely be great.”
Cruz said he has also thought about the fact other former teammates like Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora left the Giants after distinguished tenures, but struggled to have similar success with their new clubs.
“There have been guys who have left for greener pastures, and it hasn’t been that way. I think that’s been the Giants’ — I wouldn’t say curse, but it’s kind of been their thing, that every guy that’s left the Giants hasn’t necessarily done tremendously well,” Cruz said. “I think about that, even though it might just be a mental thing, and not necessarily something that’s true for everyone. But I think about it, and it definitely weighs on my psyche a little bit.”
Cruz said after missing 26 consecutive regular season games due to injury, he felt his 2016 stat line – 39 catches on 72 targets for 586 yards and a touchdown in 15 games – was “absolutely a building block” result for him personally.
“I do feel like that in limited time and limited targets and reps and snaps, I’ve done a good job of showing that I can make plays,” Cruz said, “and showing I can do some things on the field, whether it be inside, or outside as well. It’s definitely a baseline to go upward.”
Cruz may feel that way. There’s no guarantee the Giants do, though.
“That’s the question,” he said.
TALK IS CHEAP: Super Bowl is set, and the Giants aren’t far away Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Soundcloud or iHeartRadio. James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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