NFL

Cruz expected to ink long-term Giants deal

Victor Cruz could be close to becoming a Giant for the long haul.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver is expected to end his contract stalemate with Big Blue before the start of training camp by signing a long-term deal, according to an ESPN report last night quoting team and league sources.

Cruz appeared to add to the general feeling of optimism late last night with a cryptic statement on Twitter.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Cruz wrote.

According to the report, parameters on a long-term deal are in place and no obstacles are expected that would prevent it getting done before the Giants report for camp July 26 at their practice facility in East Rutherford.

Signing a long-term contract wouldn’t be a surprise, considering Cruz is a Paterson, N.J., native who has long expressed a desire to stay in the New York City market. Cruz also surrendered much of his leverage last month by signing his restricted free-agent tender offer worth $2.879 million.

Cruz can still play for that figure this fall in the hopes of landing a huge payday elsewhere next spring, but the Giants hold the upper hand there, too, with the franchise tag at their disposal.

The sides have been at loggerheads for months, with Cruz refusing to attend the team’s voluntary workouts and skipping last month’s mandatory minicamp because of his reported desire for a long-term pact worth at least $9 million per season.

Still relatively snug against the salary cap and with fellow star receiver Hakeem Nicks’ contract to worry about as well, the Giants reportedly have been reluctant to offer Cruz more than $8 million.

The negotiations haven’t been ugly, at least not publicly, but both sides had stood their ground until Cruz signed the tender offer — reportedly because the Giants were about to exercise their right under the labor agreement to reduce the tender all the way down to $630,000 from the $2.879 million figure.

Cruz briefly caused a stir by signing a high-profile marketing deal with rapper Jay-Z’s new Roc Nation agency this offseason. But that had little impact on the talks with the Giants because Cruz still is represented at the contract table by NFL super agent Tom Condon, whose other clients include Eli Manning.

Cruz, 26, expected to get interest in restricted free agency this offseason, but that never materialized despite two incredibly productive seasons in which he caught 168 passes for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns.