Jason Pierre-Paul was once dismissive and noncommittal about his future in New York, but now his true intentions have come to light: He wants to be a member of the Giants for life.
The defensive end, arguably one of the five best in football, stayed mum about his expiring rookie contract all season. Over five years, he has 36.5 sacks and two Pro Bowl appearances.
In short, he won't be cheap.
"If I could stay here, I would love to be a Giant for life," Pierre-Paul told ESPN.com. "But who knows? I don't know what's going to happen, and I don't worry about it. My agent will handle it with the Giants when it comes time to talk."
While franchise-tagging Pierre-Paul makes the most sense for the moment, a process that would give him another year to prove he's past the back surgery and shoulder issues, one can't help but be tempted to look at the long-term possibilities. Pierre-Paul is just 25 years old and, according to Pro Football Focus, stands alone as the best run-stopping 4-3 defensive end in football.
The Giants coaching staff seems to spend more time gushing over his talent than finding creative ways to use him.
But general manager Jerry Reese almost never signs draft picks to second contracts. It's also a precarious time for anyone on the Giants to be looking for a long-term deal, with speculation about the future beginning to swirl.
The team may be going in a different direction, but if Pierre-Paul is willing to do anything to help the Giants keep him long term, the team should jump on it.
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