The New York Giants are approximately $8 million over the NFL’s $208.2 million salary cap with just a week remaining in the NFL fiscal year.
Many difficult decisions lie ahead for new general manager Joe Schoen, whose goal to free up $40 million in available salary cap space.
One of those decisions will most likely involve star cornerback James Bradberry, who is on the books for $21.8 million this season. The Giants would like to trade Bradberry, one of the top cover corners in the NFL, but an outright release is also a possibility.
That would be a shame as Bradberry has played well for the Giants since signing a three-year, $43.5 million deal two years ago. He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2020 season and was again among the league leaders in passes defensed in 2021.
The loss of Bradberry would be a huge blow to the Giants’ defense but regardless of how valuable he is, his salary is simply too rich for the Giants to carry at the moment.
“It would be devastating, I’m just being honest,” cornerback Adoree’ Jackson told the New York Post.
“Knowing him as a person, knowing him as a player, seeing things that he can do I’d love to have him back there in the secondary, getting the rock and getting it going.”
The Giants could also opt to extend the 29-year-old Bradberry’s contract but that is something that Schoen admittedly stated he doesn’t have much of an appetite for with this roster.
