Jason LaCanfora: Pats may pursue Victor Cruz

[Rob0729]

My friend who is a Giants fan told me during the Super Bowl that he feared that the Pats with a low first round pick would go after Victor Cruz to sign him. If Jason LaCanfora's sources are right, his fears may come true.

Several sources believed the Patriots would make a run at Cruz, but that was prior to Cruz changing agents recently and going with Tom Condon, who the Pats generally don't do business with. While in the past, in general, restricted free agent activity has been limited, some teams are aggressive and looking to make moves to add to the offense, and there are no shortage of teams with abundant cap space.

The Giants, who had to work through some cap issues this offseason, would have five days to match any offer sheet to Cruz.

On heels of Boldin, Harvin deals, Giants' Cruz could be next WR dealt - CBSSports.com

The Pats did deal with Condon last year when they signed Lloyd. So the animosity of both sides may have cooled a bit.

 

[everlong]

I don't see the Pats giving up a first and paying top dollar for an FA. There's nothing about that move which screams value.

 

[MossWelkowski]

No no no no no... What we DON'T need is another small fast WR

 

[Nunchucks]

No no no no no... What we DON'T need is another small fast WR

6' 205 lbs is not small. Good size and proven ability makes it a no brainer.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't see the Pats giving up a first and paying top dollar for an FA. There's nothing about that move which screams value.

The whole the Pats only make value moves are overrated. They don't typically make big splashes, but they have before with mixed results.

Cruz is already a dynamic player and could be a special player with the Pats. Potentially even better than Welker because he is a lot more versatile than Welker in that he has blazing speed and can play in the slot or outside. Granted Welker is better over the middle and has better hands.

Not saying it will happen, but I think the Pats would definitely do it if they think he is good enough to be special in this offense.

 

[Spergon Wynn]

I really wanted to sign him after he was a pre-season hero for NYG in 2010 but not now.

Not worth the first and contract he would demand for someone who wouldn't be guaranteed success in this system.

I'd rather draft someone with that pick at a fraction of the cost. They wouldn't be guaranteed to succeed here either but the risk would be less in terms of contract.

 

[Sicilian]

It all depends on how the Giants view him. If they believe in their ability to develop WR's (which they should feel confident in lately, as they've effectively replaced Manningham and Burress), then they may view the 1st rounder as a good exchange, even if the Pats offer a good value deal. So basically, the Pats might be able to get away with a young, talented wide receiver for a pretty short money. In that case, it's like drafting one with the 29th pick, which I'd be ok with if they were guaranteed to turn into Cruz.

Again, that all depends on the Giants viewing a 1st round pick as higher value than Cruz on a value deal. If they don't, there's no way you want to break the bank AND give up a 1st rounder to add Cruz.

 

[Rob0729]

No no no no no... What we DON'T need is another small fast WR

People want a guy who stretch the field and I don't think there is a WR who has more 60 plus yard TD passes in the last two years than Cruz. I know he led the league with 5 in 2011.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The whole the Pats only make value moves are overrated. They don't typically make big splashes, but they have before with mixed results.

The key, though, is that they do set a maximum they're willing to pay, and, with very rare exceptions (Vinatieri being the only one I'm aware of), stick to that maximum.

 

[MossWelkowski]

I like how he states... They "may pursue" lol... What the hell does that mean??? It's either they are pursuing or not pursuing

 

[EJ Blitz]

None of these things are going to happen. People are reporting the Pats are going pick up damn near everyone.

What we'll see are some run of the mill guys who can compete in training camp. Aside from that, maybe Ed Reed or a veteran corner if Talib doesn't come back. Welker will be the big signing.

Cruz coming here is pure blabber.

 

[everlong]

The whole the Pats only make value moves are overrated. They don't typically make big splashes, but they have before with mixed results.

Cruz is already a dynamic player and could be a special player with the Pats. Potentially even better than Welker because he is a lot more versatile than Welker in that he has blazing speed and can play in the slot or outside. Granted Welker is better over the middle and has better hands.

Not saying it will happen, but I think the Pats would definitely do it if they think he is good enough to be special in this offense.

Giving up a first and paying a player 8-9/year would be a first. I never said they only make value moves but there some value in all their moves. Colvin and AD were both at 95% of market value but not above it. Moss and Dillon had to play prove it years before getting market value deals. They did give up a 4th and a 2nd in the process. I just think at the end of the day giving up a first and paying market value will be too much for the Pats. If they some how talk Cruz into a 90-100% of market value deal why won't the Giants match?

 

[Sicilian]

If they some how talk Cruz into a 90-100% of market value deal why won't the Giants match?

Only way I can see it is if the Giants view their recent success developing and replacing WR's as a good reason to grab an extra 1st rounder to use on defense (to improve the secondary or replace Osi). Otherwise you're right. Any good deal that Cruz agrees to will likely be matched.

 

[Rob0729]

It will be interesting whether the people who wanted the Pats to give up a first for Wallace last year would still be up for giving up a first for Cruz.

Personally, I am on the fence about Cruz and was adamantly against doing it for Wallace. Cruz is a better receiver than Wallace who can run sharp routes and fits the Pats' system better than Wallace would.

A first is a little much for Cruz, but I thought a second was a little much for Welker and Cruz has been far better in his career in his first few years than Welker.

 

[Rob0729]

Giving up a first and paying a player 8-9/year would be a first. I never said they only make value moves but there some value in all their moves. Colvin and AD were both at 95% of market value but not above it. Moss and Dillon had to play prove it years before getting market value deals. They did give up a 4th and a 2nd in the process. I just think at the end of the day giving up a first and paying market value will be too much for the Pats. If they some how talk Cruz into a 90-100% of market value deal why won't the Giants match?

If the Pats get Cruz at 90-100% market value and front load the contract, the Giants can't match the offer unless they make some cuts. As of March 8th (the latest I have found), the Giants had about $10.5 million of cap space (and that is before you take out the rookie contracts). If the Pats front loaded the Cruz deal to give him an $8-9 million cap hit this year, the Giants couldn't match the offer even if they wanted to without cutting someone significant.

In a perfect world, the Giants would match any offer for Cruz. The reason there is a realistic chance someone steals him away is because the Giants have a tight cap situation and any team wanting Cruz can easily structure the deal to make it very hard to impossible for the Giants to match.

BTW, that is exactly the same reason the Pats were able to pry Welker away from the Fins. The Dolphins had a tight cap in 2007 and the Pats structured Welker's deal so he had a big cap hit in 2007 which made it impossible for the Dolphins to match.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Only way I can see it is if the Giants view their recent success developing and replacing WR's as a good reason to grab an extra 1st rounder to use on defense (to improve the secondary or replace Osi). Otherwise you're right. Any good deal that Cruz agrees to will likely be matched.

Giants will just draft tavon austin if cruz bolts.

 

[naF staP]

Did you see who Cruz just hired as an agent? Tom Condon! Deal Breaker!! No way BB and the Pats pick Cruz up and have to deal with that guy.

 

[Rob0729]

Did you see who Cruz just hired as an agent? Tom Condon! Deal Breaker!! No way BB and the Pats pick Cruz up and have to deal with that guy.

You do realize the Pats got the better of Condon last year with Brandon Lloyd. You do realize that Lloyd and Cruz have the same agent. In fact, they both fired their former agent and hired Condon going into free agency.

 

[Rob0729]

Only way I can see it is if the Giants view their recent success developing and replacing WR's as a good reason to grab an extra 1st rounder to use on defense (to improve the secondary or replace Osi). Otherwise you're right. Any good deal that Cruz agrees to will likely be matched.

Or the team who offers Cruz a contract front loads the deal enough to make it impossible to match. The Giants can't match a front loaded deal.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It will be interesting whether the people who wanted the Pats to give up a first for Wallace last year would still be up for giving up a first for Cruz.

Personally, I am on the fence about Cruz and was adamantly against doing it for Wallace. Cruz is a better receiver than Wallace who can run sharp routes and fits the Pats' system better than Wallace would.

A first is a little much for Cruz, but I thought a second was a little much for Welker and Cruz has been far better in his career in his first few years than Welker.

That's because the LOLphins were clueless and it took them about a year and a half to figure out that Welker, who had set receiving records at Texas Tech, was much more than a KR/PR.