EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants addressed their top priority in free agency when Ahmad Bradshaw agreed to terms to re-sign with the team on Monday, according to sources.
Terms of the contract have not been not disclosed, but a source said that Bradshaw will receive a four-year deal worth $18 million, with $9 million guaranteed.
The Giants have been making moves to free up salary cap space to re-sign their starting running back. They released veterans like center Shaun O'Hara, guard Rich Seubert, left tackle Shawn Andrews, defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and restructured the contract of Brandon Jacobs to get under the salary cap.
They still have to re-sign wide receiver Steve Smith and tight end Kevin Boss. And they have to figure out what to do with Osi Umenyiora, who has been given permission to seek a trade, a league source told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio. But their biggest free agent is coming back.
"I'd rather stay," Bradshaw said on ESPN's "NFL Live" last week about New York. "I've set my foundation there in New York and I love just the excitement there. The fans are great. The community is great out there. I love New York the most but the price is going to talk."
Bradshaw was excited to see running back DeAngelo Williams agree last week to a monster five-year, $43 million deal with the Panthers, which reportedly includes $21 million guaranteed.
But the market appeared to go soft for Bradshaw. Early in free agency, he mentioned the Giants and the Dolphins as the leading candidates to land him, but Miami traded for Reggie Bush last week. Cincinnati and Washington were two other teams that reportedly had interest in Bradshaw but they settled their running back situations on Sunday by making moves. The Bengals agreed to terms with Cedric Benson and Washington traded with Arizona for Tim Hightower, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
All of this is good news for the Giants, who have been rather quiet on the free agency front compared to other teams, like division-rival Philadelphia.
Their biggest moves have been re-signing Bradshaw and defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and agreeing to terms with free-agent center David Baas.
Bradshaw, 25, gained 1,235 yards and had eight touchdowns in his first season as the primary starter last year. He did lose six fumbles but managed to fix that problem toward the end of the season.
Coming into 2010 training camp, no one really expected Bradshaw to be the Giants' starter. Brandon Jacobs had been the No. 1 running back since Tiki Barber retired after the 2006 season and there was no reason to expect a change.
With Bradshaw back, the Giants will keep their backfield intact and continue to go with Bradshaw and Jacobs, who could see a few more carries this season, according to coach Tom Coughlin.
If there is a concern about the 5-foot-9 Bradshaw, it's how long his feet and ankles hold out. He went into last season with 253 carries since being drafted in the seventh round out of Marshall in 2007. He carried the ball 276 times last season.
Bradshaw had surgery on his left ankle in February. He underwent the same surgery to his right ankle in addition to surgeries on both of his feet in 2010.
Ohm Youngmisuk covers the Giants for ESPNNewYork.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Follow Ohm Youngmisuk on Twitter: @notoriousohm
Charles Woodson Shaq Derek Jeter Kyle Busch Dario Franchitti
No comments:
Post a Comment