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Giants, Blake Martinez Agree to Restructured Deal

The Giants will be able to keep a key player on their defense after reaching an agreement with Blake Martinez to lower his 2022 salary cap figure.

Patricia Traina

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Giants inside linebacker Blake Martinez has agreed to a restructured contract to lower his $14.025 million cap hit for 2022.

It's not yet known just how much Martinez agreed to allow the team to shave off his deal, which included an $8.425 million base salary, nor is the restructure format known. Still, Martinez, being in the final year of his three-year contract, likely received a pay reduction on his base salary with a chance to earn back some of the money.

Martinez, a team captain and the Giants leader in tackles in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 last year, which ended his season. He has started in all 19 games played as a Giant and currently has 174 total tackles, including 151 from 2020, four shy of his career-high 155 tackles set in 2019 with the Packers.

The Giants have been looking to shave $40 million off their total salary cap picture. Thus far they have cut tight end Kyle Rudolph, running back Devontae Booker, punter Riley Dixon, and tight end Kaden Smith, and they have reworked the contract of receiver Sterling Shepard, who like Martinez is also coming off a season-ending injury.

Cornerback James Bradberry figures to be the next domino to fall in completing the cap cleanup that became necessary thanks to the Giants' splurge in free agency last year.

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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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