Giants to Re-Sign Jason Pierre-Paul

The cap-happy Giants, who are poised for a big offseason of spending, made their first splash on Tuesday when they agreed to a new contract with free agent defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

The new deal, reported to be worth up to $10.5 million for one year, comes after Pierre-Paul was able to negotiate with other teams during the legal tampering period.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who originally reported the reunion, claims JPP turned down “more money elsewhere” to return to New York.

Reports suggested the Arizona Cardinals expressed serious interest in Pierre-Paul, but obviously a deal never came to fruition.

Pierre-Paul’s one-year pact seems to be a win for both team and player. While JPP didn’t land the long-term deal he was likely hoping for, he still has a chance at making good money in 2016, and has a chance to rehab his value and put himself in position to find a big deal next year.

After losing a finger and severely injuring his hand in last July’s fireworks accident, Pierre-Paul missed the first eight games of the season, had to play with a club on his damaged hand, and registered just one sack. While his entire body of work shows he is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, teams were likely and understandably hesitant to commit big money to a player still adjusting his game.

Meanwhile, the Giants bring back one of their defensive stars at a non-prohibitive cost, and take a step towards shoring up their defensive line that could lose DE Robert Ayers and DTs Cullen Jenkins and Markus Kuhn to free agency.

While Pierre-Paul’s one sack in eight games isn’t an impressive figure, a closer look at his stats show a better picture. Despite missing half of the Giants’ season, JPP managed 24 QB hurries, good for 20th in the NFL. His three hurries a game ranks second in the league, and first among defensive ends.

It seemed like Pierre-Paul’s club might have hindered his ability to finish plays, but the fundamentals of pressuring the passer were still there.

Pierre-Paul is just the first chip of what could be many as the Giants, who are among the league leaders in salary cap space, to fall. With some big contracts coming off the books, the Giants also have a lot of needs on both sides of the ball that need to be addressed.

Defensive line is a big question mark for the Giants, even with Pierre-Paul’s return. He and DT Johnathan Hankins are no-doubt starters, but there is a lot of uncertainty beyond them.

Jay Bromley, entering his third season, is the favorite to start alongside Hankins, but that’s no given. Who will start opposite Pierre-Paul is a much bigger concern. Kerry Wynn, who has impressed in limited action, is the in-house favorite, but he’s better suited as a No. 3 defensive end role.

The Giants have been linked to several top free agent defensive ends, including Olivier Vernon, William Hayes, and Adrian Clayborn. They were also interested in Charles Johnson and Mario Williams before they signed with the Panthers and Dolphins, respectively.