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The New York Giants and defensive lineman Leonard Williams ended their contract impasse by agreeing to terms on a new three-year deal worth $63 million, including a $22.5 million signing bonus and $45 million guaranteed.To get more news about MEN LIMITED Giants jerseys, you can visit giantsnfl.com official website.
With the new deal, the Giants will clear over $8 million of salary-cap space from the $19.4 million franchise tag the team applied to Williams on March 9.
As part of the new contract, Williams, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, has agreed to drop a still unheard grievance against the Giants stemming from their decision to use the franchise tag on him in 2020 in which they tagged him as a defensive tackle (and at a lower rate) rather than as a defensive end.
Williams’ signing bonus becomes the fourth highest bonus ever handed out by the Giants on a free agent contract, following quarterback Eli Manning, receiver Odell Beckham Jr and defensive end Olivier Vernon. With his new deal averaging $21 million per year, Williams, who at the end of last season spoke about the importance of earning respect among his NFL peers, appears to have that respect financially.
According to Over the Cap, Williams is being tied with DeForest Buckner of the Colts for the second-highest Average Per Year (APY) earning among interior defensive linemen, behind league leader Aaron Donald ($22.5 million) of the Rams. Williams, drafted ninth overall by the Jets in 2015, is coming off one of his best NFL seasons. He finished last year with a career-high 11.5 sacks, his first double-digit sack season in the NFL.
The Giants, meanwhile, took their newfound salary cap space and added a couple of low-cost free-agent signings, receiver John Ross and fullback Cullen Gallaspia.
Ross, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft, had a disappointing career with the Cincinnati Bengals, partially due to injuries and partly due to how he was deployed in the Bengals offense.The Bengals didn’t pick up the option year in his rookie deal, and so he became a free agent who will get a fresh start with the Giants, a team that’s been looking to add speed to its receiving corps.
Gallaspia is a converted college linebacker whose calling card is special teams. He was waived with a failed physical designation a week ago by the Houston Texans.He will look to catch on with the Giants in a role very similar to what safety Nate Ebner, currently an unrestricted free agent, filled for the team last year on special teams. |
