New York Giants Want Answer From Johnathan Hankins

The New York Giants want an answer from defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins about the contract offer they have on the table for him.

TheNew York Giantshave had a pretty successful offseason despite not having much money to spend. A big hold up for the Giants earlier in free agency wasJason Pierre-Paul‘s franchise tag. The franchise tag put a $17 million hold on the Giants cap, a number that shrunk once the two sides agreed to a long-term contract extension.

With a little extra money to spend, the Giants filled a few more holes. They signedGeno Smithto be their backup quarterback and brought in Valentino Blake, formerly known asAntwon Blake. The Giants still have one loose end to close up;Johnathan Hankins.

Hankins went into free agency hoping to strike it rich. He had his sights set on landing a long-term deal,hopingto get paid at least $10 million annually. Hankins has been met with an ice cold market and has not sniffed a long-term deal, let alone a $10 million contract.

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It is surprising that Hankins has received almost no interest this offseason. He has youth on his side, as he won’t turn 25 until later this month. He also has some productive seasons under his belt. But, he struggled in 2016.

WithDamon Harrisoncoming to town, Hankins was moved along the defensive line. It resulted in the worst season of his career with a grade of 47.1 in 2016; his previous low was 79.5 in his rookie season.

While Hankins holds out hope of getting the deal he is looking for, the Giants are running out of patience. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Giants want to know what Hankins is going to do with the offer they have on the table.

Rapoport shared on his Twitter account that Hankins is trying to find a better deal than the one the Giants are offering but has been unable. The Giants are tired of waiting and want an answer.

This is a good tactic by the Giants. They cannot sit idly by waiting for Hankins to make up his mind. If he indeed does not return, they need to find someone to replace him. With free agency weeks old, there aren’t many options left to sign; the Giants cannot afford to wait for the last couple of names to go off the board waiting on Hankins.

The Giants want Hankins back; they had hoped to keep their defense together this offseason. It started with retaining Pierre-Paul, and Hankins is now next on the list.

A return to the Giants makes sense for Hankins. Re-signing on a one-year deal will give him a chance to improve his value after a poor 2016. The Giants defense has the look of one that can be dominant; being a part of that will improve Hankins value.

Next: New York Giants: Top 5 Free Agent Signings Of All-Time

The longer Hankins sits on the free agent market, the better the chances of him returning. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan put odds at 50/50 for Hankins returning last week; with every passing day, it is fair to assume those chances improve as reality sets in for Hankins that a long-term deal may not be in the cards this offseason.

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