The Giants want to keep Blake Martinez, but there’s still some business to discuss. The two sides are in talks to rework his contract for 2022 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) and, if they can’t come to terms, they may wind up parting ways.
As it currently stands, Martinez is due $8.525M this upcoming season with a sizable cap number of $14.025M. Those are the terms of the three-year, $30.75M deal he inked with the Giants back in 2020, but they have some doubts after Martinez’s lost season. The veteran linebacker tore his ACL in late September of 2021, limiting him to just three games and 23 stops on the year.
Of course, the Giants also know what Martinez is capable of while healthy. As the Giants’ left inside linebacker in his debut year, he tallied 151 tackles, three sacks, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one interception.
Martinez, 28, could be released to save $8.525M with $5.5M in dead money. Meanwhile, they could free up additional room by trading other Dave Gettleman holdovers like cornerback James Bradberry and running back Saquon Barkley. Both have been rumored possibilities, though a Bradberry deal seems far more likely than a Barkley blockbuster.
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