Eli Manning is not too worried about his star wide receiver, Victor Cruz. As Cruz continues to holdout in search of a better contract from the New York Giants, Manning remains confident that he will eventually show up and be ready to play. As the Giants opened for team voluntary workouts, Cruz is letting his displeasure with the team known as he has yet to attend.
Manning has no problem with Cruz not attending the team workouts. He notes that the wide receiver must do what is best for him. Manning believes Cruz will show up once a long-term contract is signed.
"I have a feeling I will see Victor here when the contract is done. That is my gut feeling. I could be wrong. If he is back earlier, then that will be a bonus," Manning said.
Cruz and Manning recently got some workouts in together as the duo spent time last week at Duke University for an informal training session. Cruz along with Hakeem Nicks and Louis Murphy all caught passes from Manning, putting in some work before the season begins.
Negotiations between Cruz and the Giants have stalled in recent weeks. General manager Jerry Reese told media there was nothing new to report on the contract extension. The Giants placed a first-round tender on Cruz, who is currently a restricted free agent, in an effort to eliminate other teams from trying to sign him. The deadline to make an offer on restricted free agents is Friday. Any team looking to get Cruz will have to give up their first-round draft pick along with signing the receiver to a large long-term contract. So far, no one has shown any interest.
In Cruz's two seasons as a starting wide receiver, he recorded a total of 168 catches for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl last season. Some have speculated that the Giants would change their draft plans as Cruz continues to hold out, something Reese said would not happen.
"It doesn't affect our draft. We are just going to pick the best player up there. If Victor is not there, we have other receivers. It is all about the team for us. One player doesn't make your team," Reese said.
Manning understands how valuable Cruz is to the team. The quarterback believes the Giants do want Cruz back with the team, it is all about finding the right numbers to give him.