2013 NFL Previews: New York Jets

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

With training camps opening throughout the NFL the past week we will take a quick look at previewing some teams for the upcoming season; giving a rundown of the 2012 one, some off-season moves and an outlook of this season. It is time to get excited as there will not be another Sunday without NFL football until February 2014. Here is the 2013 preview for the New York Jets.

New York Jets AFC East (6-10)

2012 was a rough season for the Jets as they looked to have hit rock bottom. They made headlines before the season by trading for Tim Tebow, the second consecutive time they traded for a big name quarterback following a New York Giants Super Bowl victory. The Jets were able to stay in the limelight during the season but not for anything positive.

Giants and Cruz Agree to Contract Extension

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By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

On Monday, July 8^th the New York Giants and wide receiver Victor Cruz agreed to a contract extension to keep the Salsa Dance with the Giants. The contract agreed to is a six-year deal through the 2018 season and worth $46 million. $15.625 of it will be guaranteed the first two years of the deal and will have a $9.5 million signing bonus and $1.5 million roster bonus given to him the first day of the 2014 league year.

Cruz, who skipped the Giants OTA’s and only signed his first-round restricted free agent tender after mandatory minicamp completed said he was relieved to finally have his contract situation resolved. “It was fun to finally get it done with. I was smiling from ear to ear the whole time; I couldn’t stop grinning. Good to put my ink on that piece of paper and feel good about it and feel confident about it and get back to football.”

Salsa Staying in New York with Giants as Cruz Signs Free Agent Tender

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By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

The New York Giants got some good news Friday afternoon as they learned that Victor Cruz was going to report to the team facility and sign his one-year restricted free agent tender. Cruz was tagged with a first-round restricted free agent tender and the deal is worth $2.879 million. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Josina Anderson via her twitter account.  Anderson talked to Cruz earlier Friday and said that he told her, “I’m going to sign my tender today and will continue talks for a long-term deal before camp starts.”

A factor in Cruz’s decision making was that the Giants could drop his tender to $630,000 if he had not signed the $2.879 million tender Monday, even though there was no indication that was a path the Giants were going to go down. This is only the first hurdle that needed to be jumped as the two sides will continue to try and hash out a long term deal. They are coming closer to terms but Cruz is still standing firm that he will not accept anything less than $9 million annually.

Ahmad Bradshaw Bids Farewell to the Big Apple

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Ahmad Bradshaw’s New York Giants tenure officially ended today as he agreed to a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported. Bradshaw will receive a $250,000 signing bonus, $650,000 in per-game roster bonus and $1.1 million in base salary according to Pro Football Talk's source. The former Giants running back had an official meeting with the team this past Thursday and had been working out a contract ever since.

Bradshaw was one of a number of Giants veterans who were released this season because of salary-cap issues that needed fixing and to infuse some youth in the Giants roster.

The 27-year old Bradshaw will at worst will provide depth in the Colts backfield if not a starting running back. The main competition for Bradshaw will be former first-round pick and injury-riddled incumbent starter Donald Brown, second-year player Vick Ballard who impressed as a rookie and third-year player Delone Carter, who has struggled with injuries and fumbles.