Knowing they have experience and depth issues at receiver, the Giants on Wednesday will take a look at Jacoby Jones, who arrives for a visit.
Jones, 29, is a seven-year veteran who spent his first five seasons with the Texans and the past two years with the Ravens, earning a Super Bowl ring after the 2012 season. He has size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and last season caught 37 passes for 455 yards. His best season was 2010, when he had a career-high 51 receptions for 562 yards. He has 14 career touchdowns in 33 NFL starts.
There is no way the Giants envision Jones replacing free agent Hakeem Nicks. More likely, he is viewed as a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver who could also fill a role on special teams as a return man, where he is a threat.
All seemed to be quiet with Justin Tuck on the first day of free agency. According to Pro Football Talk, the initial reaction to Tuck on the open market was lukewarm, with one team willing to offer him $3 million per year, which could prompt him to return to the Giants.
The Giants have serious interest in Packers center Evan Dietrich-Smith and a deal might be reached, but he is headed to Tampa to visit with the Buccaneers.
In other Giants developments, they re-signed running back Peyton Hillis to a two-year, $1.8 million contract, cornerback Trumaine McBride (two years, $3.1 million) and safety Stevie Brown (one year, $3 million). Brown missed the entire 2013 season coming off ACL surgery.
Curtis Painter will also re-sign, as the Giants presumably will have him compete with Ryan Nassib for the backup quarterback job. Kicker Josh Brown also will return. Tight end Brandon Myers, who spent one unproductive year with the Giants, signed a two-year, $4 million deal with the Buccaneers. The Giants had no interest in bringing Myers back. Safety Ryan Mundy, who spent last season with the Giants, signed with the Bears.
Chris Snee’s new contract with the Giants is a one-year base salary of $1.075 million, plus a $1 million guarantee as soon as he passes the team physical. The deal also includes up to $500,000 in roster bonuses based on the games he plays, meaning he gets a check for $32,500 for each game.
If Snee, coming off hip and elbow surgery, is unable to play again, he is protected through the injury protection benefit up to $1.05 million. The maximum value of the deal is $2.5 million but Snee, who was scheduled to make $6.75 million in 2014, never wanted to make it about money.
“This contract really isn’t about Chris doing a huge free-agent deal, it isn’t about him taking a pay cut, it’s about opening up as much cap room as he could,’’ said Noel LaMontagne, Snee’s agent. “He told me flat-out the Giants have been great to him — ‘They paid me a lot of money, I saved it all and I want the team to be able to go out and get players so we can win. As long as the Giants want me I want to come back and I want to play.’ ’’
Snee’s salary reduction saved the Giants $4.65 million on their 2014 salary cap.
In addition to Snee, punter Steve Weatherford also accepted a restructuring of his contract. He was scheduled to make $2 million and his base salary was reduced to $900,000, with the remaining money converted to bonuses.