NFL Rumors: New York Giants Release Veteran Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
It looks like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did not want to take a significant pay cut to stay with the New York Giants.
The team has announced that they have terminated Rodgers-Cromartie's contract on Sunday, and the cornerback has confirmed that he is not returning next season in a post on his official Instagram account.
Rodgers-Cromartie was entering the final year of the five-year, $35-million contract he signed with the Giants in the spring of 2014, and he was scheduled to earn $6.5 million in the 2018 season.
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However, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo had previously reported that the team had informed him that they would only retain him if he is willing to rework his contract and take less money. The veteran cornerback's contract would have counted for $8.5 million against the cap next season.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Giants also asked him to switch to safety if they kept him.
"The Giants likely asked DRC to take the pay cut because there's a good chance his playing time was going to be reduced going forward," John Breech said in his column for CBS Sports.
"With Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins at corner, the Giants were apparently going to ask DRC to make a position switch from corner to safety, but that's no longer an issue now that he won't be on the roster," he added.
Rodgers-Cromartie racked up 48 combined tackles (31 solo), 0.5 sacks, and one pass defended in 15 games (five starts) with the Giants last season. He was suspended for one game last year after he walked out of practice following a meeting with then-head coach Ben McAdoo.
The two-time Pro Bowler has reportedly met the Washington Redskins on Tuesday, according to The Washington Post's Kareem Copeland, and he will likely visit more teams before he decides where he wants to play next season.
