As the clock struck 12:00 a.m. Saturday morning, Giants wide receiver and restricted free agent Victor Cruz did not receive an offer sheet from any of the other 31 teams in the NFL, meaning the popular salsa-dancing pass catcher will remain in Giants blue for another season.
This offseason the Giants placed a first-round tender on Cruz, which meant any team that offered him a deal would risk surrendering their first-round pick to the Giants if the offer wasn't matched. The tender also meant that if unclaimed, Cruz would earn $2.879 million in non-guaranteed base salary for the 2013 season.
Cruz has not signed that tender, however, and may hold out of the team's offseason program until a long-term extension is worked out with the organization. The offseason program concludes with a mandatory minicamp in June, but since Cruz has not signed anything he is technically not required to show up. If Cruz does not put his name on the tender by June 17th, the Giants then have the right to reduce his 2013 salary to 110 percent of his previous year's salary, which works out to $594,000.
Over the past two seasons Cruz has averaged 84 catches, 1,314 yards and 9.5 touchdowns, while showing himself to be a premier big play threat by scoring seven touchdowns of 65 or more yards.
Hopes are high that Cruz and the Giants will eventually reach a deal, especially since Cruz recently fired his agent, Malik Shareef, and hired Tom Condon of Creative Artists Agency, who is partnering with rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports.
Cruz reportedly signed with Roc Nation in an effort to work closely with Jay-Z in New York, and build his brand in one of the world's largest media markets. A source close to the situation said he wouldn't even rule out Cruz appearing on a famous rapper's single or in a video. The source said the Cruz could snap his fingers and be on a famous artist's single like that."
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