Report: Players concerned JPP will 'dog it' if the Giants hand him a big contract
New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is currently set to play out the 2015 season under the NFL's franchise tag for defensive end. Pierre-Paul did not join the team for their organized voluntary workouts last month, but head coach Tom Coughlin expects him to be present at the team's upcoming mandatory minicamp. Pierre-Paul has also been rigorously working out down in Florida. In spite of all this, and his dominant finish to the 2014 season with 9.5 sacks over his final five games, a report has surfaced that some of Pierre-Paul's teammates are worried that his effort level will turn nonexistent if the Giants show him the money.
Ross Tucker, a former pro football player turned analyst, says some of Pierre-Paul's teammates are concerned with what a big contract might do to him.
"Quite frankly, I know guys that have said that to me about Jason Pierre-Paul," Tucker said. "Guys that have played for the Giants that are skeptical of how productive Pierre-Paul will be after he gets a big contract. That's a concern.
"I actually think it's more of a concern at defensive line than any other position because that's such an effort position."
Although Tucker had played several years in the NFC East, and could have some connections remaining with the teams, it is difficult not to take his report with a grain of salt. For one, Tucker fails to mention any specific players or what source revealed this information. Also, Tucker appears on a SiriusXM NFL radio show that is driven by ratings. Lastly, this idea that Pierre-Paul is a lazy player seems like a narrative-driven idea. Pierre-Paul has been a dominant run defender throughout his tenure with the Giants, and he has put together two of four seasons as a dominant pass rusher.
However, if Ross is simply connecting the dots, there are several factors that add up. The Giants are a franchise that believes in drafting players and offering extensions from within the organization. The fact that they haven't worked out a long-term extension for Pierre-Paul yet speaks for itself. Also, Pierre-Paul's best season was his rookie season in 2011.
In Ross's report, he neglects to consider the impact of the injury factor in the Giants' plans for Pierre-Paul long term. Although Pierre-Paul has yet to suffer a season-ending injury, he has battled through nagging injuries in almost every season since entering the league. Some of these injuries are said to have limited Pierre-Paul.
If the Giants decide to lock him up to a big contract, they may be forced to pay him around $15-16 million annually, based on the current market for premier defensive ends. This is the kind of investment that can set back a team's salary cap when a player doesn't live up to his end of the bargain. It makes sense that the Giants want to get all of the possible information they can before making a major decision. One more year in blue, playing under the franchise tag, will provide the team with more information. In the end, there is no way to tell how any player will react to getting paid long-term with major guarantees until he is actually paid. It seems less likely that this will happen before the 2015 season starts.
(h/t Giants 101)
Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports
