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Giants WR Burress Deserves the Contract Extension He Demands
12-Jun-2008
Written by: Steve Ruback
Burress’s 2007 performance is more than deserving of lucrative extension.
New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress skipped the team’s two minicamp practices on Wednesday, citing unhappiness with his current contract situation. The receiver told the media yesterday, “Me and my agent are trying to get a deal done so I can become a New York Giant for a long time. I personally don't like the way that is going. I'm not happy about it. I'm choosing not to participate.”
Burress is coming off a career season in which he posted team highs in receptions with 70, yards with 1,025, and touchdowns with 12. But beyond the numbers, it was Burress’s inspirational ability to play through severe ankle and knee injuries all season that proved to be the most significant contribution to the team.
The receiver forever put to rest his old nickname of “Plexiglass,” which he received from the media in Pittsburgh during his five-year stint with the Steelers for a perceived inability to show toughness by playing through pain. Despite only being able to participate in two practices the entire year after the second week of the regular season, due to a sprained right ankle with a torn tendon, Burress continued to suit up on Sundays week after week and was the offense’s most feared deep threat.
After refusing to undergo season-ending surgery on his ankle throughout the year, Burress managed to deliver one of the greatest performances in NFL postseason history in the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay. Facing man-to-man coverage against all-pro cornerback Al Harris for a majority of the night, Burress dominated the contest, setting Giants postseason records with 11 receptions for 151 yards, leading the Giants to victory and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Though swelling in his left knee combined with his season-long ankle problem nearly forced Burress to sit out of Super Bowl XLII, he heroically fought through the excruciating pain. In a dramatic conclusion to the season that not even today’s most gifted Hollywood screenwriters could create, he caught the game winning touchdown pass on a fade route from Eli Manning in the back left corner of the end zone with 39 seconds remaining to defeat the then undefeated New England Patriots.
But despite his storybook season and endless displays of courage and willingness to sacrifice his health for the benefit of the team, Burress’s salary cap number in 2007 was $4,925,000, according to USA Today. That cap number happened to be lower than the salary for others at the wide receiver position such as Troy Williamson, one of the biggest first-round busts in the past decade whose production has been laughable at best and David Givens, who did not play a single down in 2007 due to injury. Burress’s cap number was barely higher than Minnesota’s Bobby Wade, a slot receiver who did not have more than 85 yards receiving in any game the entire season.
Burress is slated to make less than $4 million in each of the three remaining years on his current contract. Up until last season, the Giants’ reputation as a team full of selfish, me-first players appeared to be merited. However, one of the underlying reasons for the organization’s unity, will-to-win and team-first attitude in 2007 was Burress’s uncanny ability to serve as a non-vocal, inspirational leader that the younger players on the roster could look up to.
By playing through the ankle injury, exposing it to potential further damage, Burress risked not only his long-term health but also future earnings since contracts in the NFL are not guaranteed. By putting his health and future on the line, Burress sacrificed everything he had during the Giants miraculous, awe-inspiring Super Bowl run. At 30 years old, Burress is currently in the prime of his career and his production certainly indicates a player deserving of a more lucrative contract. The Giants organization should award such a player who put it all on the line for the better good of the team last season by renegotiating his contract in order to give him more money and adding another couple of years to his deal.
The team will also have to deal with possible contract issues with defensive end Osi Umenyiora and right guard Chris Snee either prior to or during next year’s offseason. Umenyiora has already publicly stated that he is unhappy with his current contract but has also said that he will not hold out of camp because of it. Snee enters the final year of his rookie contract and he will certainly command a great deal of attention throughout the league if he is to hit free agency. However, after another offseason in which General Manager Jerry Reese refused to spend top dollar in a currently outrageous market, it appears the organization is preparing for these situations by holding onto its money in order to extend the contracts of its current stars.
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