New York Giants: 2 Most Overpaid and Underpaid Players on the Roster

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New York Giants general manger Jerry Reese has done a fine job of establishing two Super Bowl-winning teams over the course of his tenure, but the general manger has not always been perfect when it comes to contracts. 

The Giants GM rarely overpays for a contract—and when he does, it's a big deal. The same goes for underpaying players, which usually occurs when a player is still playing under his rookie deal and is looking for a new contract. 

The team has not missed on many deals during Reese's tenure, but let's take a look at some players that are currently being underpaid and others that are being overpaid by New York. 

Underpaid: Hakeem Nicks

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Hakeem Nicks has been a force to be reckoned with since being drafted by the New York Giants in 2009. 

The North Carolina Tar Heel product, who is yet to play a full NFL season, has averaged 67 receptions, over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns per year. He has made big play after big play, and one could argue that he is a top-five wide receiver in the NFL. 

Nicks is only 24 and is still playing on his rookie deal, which will pay him $12.54 million over five years. The deal also included a $6.5 million signing bonus. That deal was acceptable at the time, but Nicks and the Giants know that a new deal is coming sooner rather than later.   

Underpaid: Victor Cruz

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Victor Cruz was a nightmare for NFL defenses during the 2011 campaign. 

The surprising star lined up all over the field and caught 82 passes for almost 1,600 yards to go along with nine touchdowns.

Alone, those numbers are remarkable. What's even more remarkable is that they were achieved by a player who did not hear his name called on draft day. 

Cruz is playing the 2012 season on a contract that is set to pay him a mere $540,000, which makes it clear that something needs to be done.

It would be wise for the Giants to sign the young star to a deal soon, because the price tag will be through the roof if he has another stellar season in 2012. 

Overpaid: Chris Canty

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Chris Canty is a good player, but he is not worth the six-year, $42 million contract that he signed in 2009. That deal contained $16 million guaranteed, and it included an $8.5 million signing bonus. 

The defensive tackle had one of his best years as a pro with the Giants in 2011, when he set a career highs in sacks and tackles, but those numbers still don't justify the contract he received.  

Overpaid: David Baas

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We knew that David Baas was overpaid when he signed his five-year deal that contained $27.5 million with $11.5 million guaranteed and an $8.5 million signing bonus, but we did not know by how much. 

Baas struggled for most of the 2011 season, and it did not come as a surprise when Giants fans wanted him released to save the team some cap space. However, cutting him in 2012 would promote the remaining $6.8 million of his bonus to this year, which would ultimately cost the team $3 million more than his $3 million base salary or $6 million against the cap.

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