The New York Giants have Jason Pierre-Paul on the franchise tag and as they try and work out a long term deal the team may also work on an extension for Eli Manning as he enters the final year of his deal and this comes as the team has signed Kendrick Ellis to a free agent contract to help with depth up front on the defensive line.
According to ESPN.com, Dan Graziano reports that the team has signed Ellis after he previously played for the Jets. Ellis is a big player at 346-pounds, but the Giants were one of the worst teams stopping the run last season and need more on the defensive line. Ellis is a strong option to be a run stopper and he could join up with Jonathan Hankins to make for a formidable front. JPP is on the franchise tag and that will cost $14 million if he signs it and he is expecting to have a big season for the Giants.
Graziano writes that the team is in no rush to get a contract extension done, but they likely will do something before the season starts. Manning is coming into the final year of his deal and it comes after another QB from the same class signed an extension with the Steelers re-upping Ben Roethlisberger. The Giants have not made any huge moves in free agency this offseason, but they have signed Shane Vereen and added depth at a number of positions.
The team came into the offseason looking at the free agent market for some extra help in a number of spots, but they missed on their main targets. The team reportedly was interested in players like Ndamukong Suh, Mark Ingram, Bryan Bulaga and Cecil Shorts, but they all signed elsewhere. Antrel Rolle left as a free agent and the Giants kept JPP on the franchise tag, which he has yet to sign. The team comes into 2015 looking to rebound after bringing Tom Coughlin back for another year and the team is hoping Victor Cruz can come back healthy.
According to ESPN.com, the Giants want to sign Pierre-Paul long term, but they are willing to stay with the franchise tag deal on JPP if they need to. The team defense was not great last season and that is why they parted ways with Perry Fewell and brought in Steve Spagnuolo. The Giants ranked fourth worst in the league in yards allowed per game and now Spagnuolo takes over the defense. The Giants have had issues on defense over the past few years and they need JPP to continue playing well after he had a bounce back season in 2014.
The team rush defense was ranked 30th in the league and that is why someone like Ellis could be a very solid move, although it was a low key one. The Giants cap situation is not terrible even after making their moves, but it's not great either and the team could free up some space moving forward with an extension for Eli Manning. The team has also reportedly re-worked Geoff Schwartz's contract, according to ESPN.com.