New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin acknowledged in April that he's concerned the Giants have yet to lock up wide receiver Victor Cruz to a long-term contract. Coughlin's boss, however, isn't sweating it.
"I'm pretty confident that we'll end up reaching a deal with (Cruz)," Giants co-owner John Mara told NFL Network's "NFL AM" on Tuesday. "This is not that atypical a situation. Player contracts, particularly with star players like Victor, can tend to drag on from time to time. I think we'll get it done.
"This is the right place for him to play. He's a star in this area, he's an important part of our team and I think we'll eventually get a deal done, but it's just a process that you have to go through. And we're going through it right now. There's communication, and it's slow but steady, and I think at some point we'll reach a deal."
Despite the optimism, Cruz has yet to sign his $2.879 million contract tender and reportedly seeks in the neighborhood of $10 million per year. Mara and the Giants reportedly are prepared to offer closer to $7 million.
General manager Jerry Reese has navigated these waters masterfully before and assured reporters in April, "It's just business. And we are hoping things work out."
We expect a contract to get done -- but, the Giants also have Hakeem Nicks to think about. The veteran wideout becomes a free agent after next season, and he'll want every penny Cruz is paid. But that's another headache for another day.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
