INDIANAPOLIS — No one shows their hand this time of year, with free agency nearly upon us and everyone wanting to hold all the cards. But Ben McAdoo in his first out-of-the-building media session as head coach of the Giants made it clear he wants Jason Pierre-Paul and Victor Cruz to be a part of the team in 2016.
Yes, that Jason Pierre-Paul — the one with the permanently damaged and disfigured right hand.
“I just think when you look at him, his ability to get off the ball and get after the quarterback is easy to see,’’ McAdoo said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. “It’s something that comes natural for him, and you don’t think that’s gonna change any time soon. I don’t either.’’
Yes, that Victor Cruz — the once-dynamic receiver who has played in just six of a possible 32 games the past two seasons, and none since October 2014.
“Absolutely,’’ McAdoo said, when asked if he expects Cruz to remain on the roster. “You know, right now we’re taking a look at things and he’s on the roster right now. If anything changes, I’ll be the first to know.’’
That is a change around the Giants, as McAdoo indeed will be the first to know in his new role as head coach, ownership’s hand-picked replacement for Tom Coughlin. McAdoo this past season got an up-close look at how an embarrassingly bad defense compromised so much of the good work his offense was able to produce. Pierre-Paul played the last eight games coming back from the terrible July 4 fireworks incident that left him at times as a one-handed defensive end, managing only one sack but enough pressure and athleticism to convince McAdoo he is a part of the solution on defense.
“It was obvious when Jason came back last year how disruptive he was without playing football for a long time, just coming in and having a couple of weeks to get his feet underneath him, being able to go out and be disruptive as a pass rusher,’’ McAdoo said.
Pierre-Paul has no right index finger and less than half a right thumb. He underwent an offseason procedure to reduce some of the scar tissue on his deformed right middle finger. McAdoo offered no update on that procedure or whether it will help JPP shed the bulky wrapped club that made gripping with his right hand impossible.
Before the injury, Pierre-Paul was navigating his way to a contract approaching $12 million to $14 million per year. The Giants will not go near those numbers but likely would be amenable to a deal for half that amount.
“Again, this is a business,’’ McAdoo said. “Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s something we all want to be comfortable with.’’
Cruz is 29 years old and missed the entire 2015 season dealing with, then having surgery on, his left calf. He missed the final 10 games in 2014 after suffering a serious knee injury, rupturing his right patellar tendon in a Week 6 game in Philadelphia.
“He was by the office the other day, just kind of bouncing around, he was doing some rehab,’’ McAdoo said. “He seems in good spirits. Looks great. Feels good, and hopefully we get a chance to get him healthy.
“He’s coming along in rehab, no hiccups so far, so we like that, we’re encouraged with that right there.’’
The problem for the Giants is Cruz is on the books for $7.9 million in salary for 2016 and will count $9.9 million on the salary cap. That is a huge chunk of change for a player who has missed the past 26 games and seen his No. 1 receiver spot wrested away by Odell Beckham Jr.
It is not up to him, but Cruz says he believes there is an “80 percent’’ chance he returns to the Giants. Cruz made the comment to For The Win, a USA Today website. It is believed he picked that exact percentage because he wears No. 80.
At this point, the Giants have not asked Cruz to take a pay cut, as they could have nearly $60 million to spend in free agency and might not need to get any cap relief from the popular receiver. But it is unlikely they will proceed into the season with Cruz as the second highest-paid player on the team and such a medical uncertainty.