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Why Giants Will Wait to Extend Xavier McKinney's Contract

General manager Joe Schoen explained that the team will hold off on a new contract for their starting free safety.

Patricia Traina

Why Giants Will Wait to Extend Xavier McKinney's Contract
Why Giants Will Wait to Extend Xavier McKinney's Contract /
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New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen hasn't been shy when it has come to extending the young talent on the team identified as part of the long-term foundation.

But after giving extensions to quarterback Daniel Jones, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, and offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, Schoen is holding his water when it comes to another young leader on the team who is largely thought of as a key defensive piece: safety Xavier McKinney.

Schoen, appearing on WFAN's Evan & Tiki radio show this week, confirmed that they would put any contract talks on hold due in part to the team's current cap situation.

“We don’t have a lot of cap space to do much more. I think our pockets are empty. But he’s a guy who is important to us, that we’d like to be here long term," Schoen said.

“We’ll see how it plays out through the season. If we can get something done down the road, he’s somebody we’d like to have here.”

According to Over the Cap, the Giants currently have $5,392,810 in cap space. McKinney is due to count for $2,669,878 in 2023; an extension would bump that cap figure upward based on a projected signing bonus alone.

McKinney, who missed seven games last season with a broken hand suffered in an ATV accident, said earlier this year that he would be okay with playing out his rookie deal and potentially cashing in at the end of the year.

“We have a sign that says ‘We is greater than me,’ so I’m not too worried about my situation," he said after the Giants completed their first training camp practice this summer. "I’m just worried about being able to make this team better. That’s always been my focus.”

McKinney certainly has the tools to earn a big payday. However, he's missed chunks of two of his first three seasons in the league, most recently losing time due to a freak ATV accident during the bye last year, resulting in a broken hand that required surgery.

McKinney has already shown what he's capable of doing with a full season under his belt. In 2021, he played in 96.9 percent of the defensive snaps and recorded career-highs in tackles (59), pass breakups (11), and interceptions (5).

“X is a leader. He was a captain last year, and he had the unfortunate incident, but he is a young player with upside,” Schoen said. “We’ll have to see where we are."

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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