New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman puts heavy emphasis on eliminating potential in-season distractions, which allows his coaching staff to remain hyper-focused on their weekly tasks and developing their talent.
However, the 69-year-old Gettleman strayed from his own playbook earlier this year, slapping defensive lineman Leonard Williams, whom he acquired in a hotly-debated trade with the New York Jets last year, with the franchise tag.
The franchise tag always brings potential hazards along with it, which is why Gettleman didn’t use it on safety Landon Collins a year ago, fearing a potential long-term holdout. However, he doesn’t envision that scenario playing out with Williams.
“I think we’ll be okay,” Gettleman said. “I always think about bad things because, in my opinion, one of the biggest responsibilities I have is to eliminate distractions and let the coaches coach and the players play. You can’t guarantee anything in this life, but we have gotten to know Leonard really well and I feel really comfortable with the decision.”
Williams has not yet signed the $16.1 million franchise tender, which has led some to question why the team didn’t opt to use the transition tag instead. That would have saved them an additional $3 million in salary cap space, which is substantial if the two sides are unable to come to some sort of long-term agreement.
“Really what it came down to was we felt good about our cap space. We felt for what Leonard brings to the table and for our team, it was more prudent to put the franchise tag on him,” Gettleman said.
The Giants have until July 15 to negotiate a new contract with Williams. If they’re unable to come to an agreement by then, all other options will be removed from the table. However, if Williams signs his tender, the $16.1 million becomes fully guaranteed and negotiations on a long-term deal will be allowed to continue.
But does Gettleman have a time-frame in mind for all of that? If he does, he’s not telling.
“You know, the bottom line is contracts get done when they’re supposed to get done. So, we’ll just move along. You guys know I don’t discuss contracts, I don’t discuss timing, I don’t discuss anything. They get done when they’re supposed to get done,” Gettleman said.
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