Reports: Jason Pierre-Paul plans to meet with Giants this week

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul plans to meet with the team this week with the intention of returning to the field.

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul plans to meet with the team this week with the intention of returning to the field, Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reports.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports that meeting will likely be Tuesday, if it happens at all. Multiple Giants reporters had been told last week that Pierre-Paul intended to visit the Giants last Tuesday but that meeting never happened. Graziano adds that the Giants and Pierre-Paul have yet to discuss salary demands.

Pierre-Paul can sign his one-year, $14.8 million franchise tender at any point before Nov. 17. If Pierre-Paul does not sign before that deadline, he would not be able to play this season. The Giants cannot rescind the tender without making Pierre-Paul a free agent. They can, however, place Pierre-Paul on the non-football injury list if he signs the tender and choose not to play him. Pierre-Paul wants the Giants to promise not to place him on the NFI list, Graziano reports, and the team will offer him a lower salary in exchange. 

Pierre-Paul injured his right hand in a July 4 fireworks accident. He lost his index finger and a portion of his thumb, and also had surgery on his middle finger. The Giants first examined his hand last month and came away fearing the injury could be career-ending. Pierre-Paul has remained optimistic that his level of play will be largely unaffected, tweeting in September that he thought the index finger wouldn’t impact his ability to get sacks.

- Dan Gartland