New York Giants: Janoris Jenkins Fleeced GM Jerry Reese

Early Wednesday morning, ESPN’S Adam Schefter reported that the New York Giants were expected to sign free agent cornerback Janoris Jenkins to a big contract, reportedly in the neighborhood of 5 years and $62 million.

Of bigger note is that it also reportedly includes $29 million fully guaranteed with about 12 million per year. That deal would put Jenkins just behind long-time cornerback Darrelle Revis as the second highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. While free agency is always a gamble in terms of return in investment for teams, Jenkins deal was too big of a payout for general manager Jerry Reese, and its evidence he knows he’s coming into a make or break season for the Giants and his job.

Don’t get me wrong; Jenkins is a young player who played very well last season. And yes, cornerback was a position of need for the Giants, as their pass coverage was abysmal in 2015. But safety, linebacker and most importantly pass rush from the defensive line were all bigger problems, and the Giants apparently paid Jenkins as if cornerback was the missing link last season.

Every year at the start of free agency there are always a handful of players that get huge pay raises with the hopes that they will come in and “save” the franchises that signed them.

Ndamukong Suh was that guy for the Miami Dolphins last season, and while on paper he seemed to be exactly what the Dolphins needed, his play did not seem to equal his deal(pretty hard to do at 100 million); both Suh and the Dolphins apparently saw this and have restructured his deal 1 year later, probably in the hopes to rebuild yet again. Hopefully the Giants aren’t having to consider this next year with Jenkins, as 12 million a year should equal Pro Bowl like play.