Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul ready to cash in
EAST RUTHERFORD –Jason Pierre-Paul is ready for a massive payday.
The pending free agent said Monday he will sign a multi-year deal this offseason and hopes to return to the Giants, but his decision will be based on what’s best for his family.
He also said he will not sign a contract if the Giants use the franchise tag on him for a second time although he does not expect the Giants will do so.
“I’m not signing a one-year deal,” Pierre-Paul said. “I proved it. I showed it. There is no real guy like me out here doing it with seven-and-a-half fingers. Reality is I have proved myself.”
Pierre-Paul bet on himself this past offseason by signing a one-year, $10-million contract, and will now be one of the top available free agents after a strong showing.
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He struggled in 2015 with just one sack in the aftermath of the fireworks accident that affected his right hand, but rebounded for seven sacks –his second-most in the past five seasons –in 12 games.
The defensive end did not play in Sunday’s 38-13 loss to the Packers after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia, but said Monday he would have played against Dallas had the Giants beaten the Packers.
“At the end of the day I played very well this season and was on the verge of getting double digits (sacks). God has a mysterious way of talking to you and it wasn’t my time,” said Pierre-Paul, who had hoped to not miss any games. “I wanted to be out there and help my teammates contribute. “It was frustrating sitting at home watching (Sunday's game). Honestly, that game should have been won.”
Pierre-Paul spoke highly of the Giants on Monday and would welcome a reunion, but it remains to be seen what lengths the team will go to try to retain the former first-round pick. The team just invested $85 million in Vernon and $46.25 million in Damon Harrison this past offseason.
Pierre-Paul said he has not yet had any contract discussions with the Giants.
“If it’s here, I’d love to be here. This is all I know,” Pierre-Paul said. “Being in a different jersey, it would be awkward. But it is what it is.”
Both Giants General manager Jerry Reese and head coach Ben McAdoo said they would like to have Pierre-Paul on the roster next season. Pierre-Paul and Vernon formed one of the better edge duos in the league and the team has not groomed a reliable young pass rusher to replace Pierre-Paul.
“Of course we want him back,” Reese said. “He’s a good football player.”
Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is also a pending free agent, and his future with the team could be affected by whether the Giants can re-sign Pierre-Paul. Reese believes it’s realistic the Giants can re-sign both, but it may be tough to have all of the starts on the defensive line signed to lucrative deals.
“If we could all come back that would be huge, but sometimes that ain’t the case,” Hankins said. “You never know how things work out. Got to go with the flow.”
