PHOENIX — The Giants don’t think they’re out of the woods just yet when it comes to losing Victor Cruz.
In fact, Big Blue co-owner Steve Tisch said yesterday the team is bracing itself for what he considers a “probable” offer from another club for the Pro Bowl restricted free agent wide receiver.
“Nervous? I’m anxious,” Tisch said of a possible bid for Cruz’s services. “It’s the reality of this period in free agency. Is it likely [an offer will come]? Probably. Then we’re going to have to deal with it. But we’re not avoiding that possibility. We’ll address the reality of it when it happens.”
A bid for Cruz’s services wouldn’t come cheap, considering the Giants recently put a first-round tender on him (meaning a team would have to surrender its 2013 first-round draft pick to sign Cruz).
It won’t be the Colts, who were ruled out yesterday by their owner, Jim Irsay. But the Giants still have to watch out for the Rams, who recently lost Danny Amendola and have a spare first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Cruz also would likely command at least $6 million a year, based on the recent contracts signed by fellow slot receivers Wes Welker and Amendola, although Tisch said he expects Cruz will end up topping them.
“I think Victor is going to get a little higher than that,” Tisch said of the $6 million average for Welker and Amendola.
While $6 million-plus per year would seem to be too rich for the cap-strapped Giants’ blood, Tisch said the team hopes Cruz’s desire to stay with what essentially is his hometown team will trump pure dollars.
“I think Victor, emotionally, would like to stay with the Giants,” Tisch said. “I don’t know if that’s a tangible factor. I hope it is, when you make a decision like this. We’re going to go as far as we can go to keep him on the team.”
Tisch also is encouraged by Cruz’s recent hiring of super agent Tom Condon, who represents Giants quarterback Eli Manning and has a history of good dealings with Big Blue.
“I think his agent change is a positive,” Tisch said. “We have the utmost respect for Tom Condon.”