The New York Giants have an estimated $43.4 million in salary cap space entering the offseason but that number will rise once the cap ceiling is eventually set.
Between now and then, general manager Joe Schoen could clear additional space by making a few cuts. Kicker Graham Gano was recently named among those who could become a cap casualty but there are other options on the roster.
Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches is another name worth watching, notes Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Cutting Nunez-Roches would create $3.6 million in cap savings while leaving $1.4 million in dead money. That’s a no-brainer. The Giants don’t need to have $5 million committed to a 31-year-old rotational defensive tackle.
Cutting Gano and Nunez-Roches would give the Giants roughly $50 million in salary cap space but that number could climb an additional $37.4 million with a few max restructures.
Duggan adds that left tackle Andrew Thomas, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, and linebacker Brian Burns could all provide cap relief if Schoen felt he needed it.
Cutting Gano and Nunez-Roches would give the Giants a projected $50 million in cap space. They could create an additional $37.4 million in cap space with max restructures of Andrew Thomas, Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. But $50 million is more than enough cap space to operate, so they should avoid any significant restructures this offseason.
Although the Giants will be active in free agency, there aren’t many positions they’re likely to overspend on outside of quarterback. If they need to clear space for someone like Matthew Stafford (trade possibility), the options are available to them.
Short of that, as Duggan alludes, it’s unlikely Schoen will go down the restructuring path.
