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Newly-hired general manager Joe Schoen not only inherits a Giants roster depleted of talent but one also in financial disarray. Thanks in large part to his predecessor, New York is roughly $12 million over the league’s projected $208.2 million salary cap for 2022, per Spotrac. According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, Schoen is looking to not only dip below the salary cap number this offseason but free north of $40 million from the books in the process. Doing so, in Schoen’s own words, will entail a handful of “tough decisions.”
“First off, we have to get underneath [the cap], we have to make some tough decisions here in the near future just to get in a place where we can sign draft picks and be below the cap,” Schoen said, via the New York Post. “There’s a fine line, because you can’t purge.”
New York’s desire to shed cash quickly continues to point towards a very plausible divorce from high-priced cornerback James Bradberry.
Proposal Reunites Bradberry With Former Giants Coach
Depending on the timing of the hypothetical move, the Giants would gain between $12.1 million and $13.5 million in cap savings by cutting/trading Bradberry this offseason. Quite frankly, a 2022 $21.8 million cap hit for Bradberry’s services is illogical for a team that looks to be years away from posing as legitimate contenders in the NFC. With that in mind, Big Blue View’s Ed Valentine proposes the Giants say goodbye to their former prized free-agent signee by shipping the soon-to-be 29-year-old defender to Sin City.
“The first move I made was to trade cornerback James Bradberry to the Las Vegas Raiders,” wrote Valentine. “That reunited him with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and saves $12.136 million in cap space. I could have waited and made Bradberry a post-June 1 cut/trade, increasing the savings to $13.5 million. I wanted that money available immediately, though, so I made the move.”
As for what type of haul New York could yield for the former Pro Bowler on the trade market, Valentine’s proposal sees the Giants land multiple mid-round selections in April’s upcoming NFL draft:
- Las Vegas Raiders Receive:
- CB, James Bradberry
- New York Giants Receive:
- 2022 Round 3 draft pick
- 2022 Round 5 draft pick
Bradberry Worth Keeping Around?
Inked to a three-year, $45 million free-agent contract in 2020, Bradberry was an immediate impact addition to the boundary of the Giants’ defense. Flashing near-shutdown traits during his inaugural campaign in East Rutherford, the Samford product deservingly earned his first career Pro Bowl bid. However, his play in 2021 — while mostly solid — was a step back from the season prior.
Yes, his four interceptions this past season did mark a new personal best for Bradberry. Yet, he allowed 71 receptions and eight receiving touchdowns on 115 targets — all of which are career-worsts for the six-year pro. As we previously highlighted in early February, his Pro Football Focus grade dipped 17.0 points, while his passer rating allowed in coverage rose 11.8%.
Despite the dip in on-field production, Bradberry remains one of the Giants’ top players across not only their defense but the entirety of their roster. Schoen’s best bet may be restructuring the cornerback’s contract in hopes of keeping him in town for another season. With that said, if New York can fetch a reasonable value on the trade market for Bradberry, it’s certainly worth entertaining.
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