Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants Agree on New Contract: Latest Details, Reaction

Jason Pierre-Paul and the New York Giants took a road to a new contract far more winding than either side expected. On Tuesday, their journey finally concluded, as the two sides agreed to a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.    

The Giants confirmed the signing on Twitter:

"We all are excited to see Jason," Giants general manager Jerry Reese said in a press release. "He has worked very hard to get himself back into position to join the team and work toward getting on the playing field on Sundays."

"I'm very excited to be back," Pierre-Paul said, per the team. "I'm getting ready to do what I have to do. I've been training down in South Florida with my trainer. Every day, I got up at 7:30 and lifted weights. I've been doing what I have to do to stay in football shape."

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports reported the contract has $1.5 million in base salary guaranteed with another $1.5 million in per-game roster bonuses. Garafolo added there are "playtime and sack incentives that can get him up to the remaining $8.7 million he would have earned on the franchise tender."

The Giants and Pierre-Paul met earlier this week for a physical, which facilitated the agreement. Garafolo reported Pierre-Paul could be on the field as soon as Week 10. 

"One source said the hope inside the building is Pierre-Paul will spend this week getting into shape, return to practice next week and then spend Week 10 preparing for his return to the field," Garafolo wrote.

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported Tuesday the Giants expect Pierre-Paul "to play in [a] matter of weeks," while Rapoport reported New York "will ask for a two-week roster exemption." 

Rapoport also reported Pierre-Paul could join the Giants on the practice field "in some form or fashion" as early as Wednesday. 

New York slapped Pierre-Paul with its franchise tag on March 2. The move was largely seen as a stopgap solution until the sides could agree on a long-term contract—the Giants put a $60 million offer on the table at one point, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra.

However, a July 4 fireworks incident put Pierre-Paul's career in jeopardy. The two-time Pro Bowler had his right index finger amputated and suffered a fractured thumb in the accident. Details about the event are still scant—Pierre-Paul was mostly unavailable afterward—but some doubted he'd ever play football again.

Pierre-Paul avoided the Giants at all costs. He did not show up for the start of training camp and kept everyone in the dark regarding his status.

"We don't know how extensive the damage is, that's the problem," team co-owner John Mara told reporters in July. "I don't know how many fingers he has. I know what we have read and what we have been told, but until we actually see the extent of the damage, it's hard to make any prediction on what type of condition he is going to be in."

Pierre-Paul finally met with the team in September before continuing his rehab at home while not under contract. He has offered limited glimpses of his recovery via Instagram (warning: post contains NSFW language): 

The former South Florida star has had his ups and downs since the Giants drafted him No. 15 overall in 2010. One of college football's fiercest pass-rushers, Pierre-Paul was expected to be the heir apparent to Michael Strahan. 

It hasn't quite worked out like that, however. After a disappointing rookie campaign, Pierre-Paul notched 16.5 sacks in 2011. Over the next two seasons, however, he recorded only 8.5 sacks, missed time due to injuries and was criticized for his ineffective play.

Pierre-Paul then had a great 2014 campaign, finishing with 77 tackles and 12.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 16th-most effective pass-rushing defensive end and the sixth-best run-stopper. From an overall perspective, he was the fourth-best 4-3 defensive end in football, per PFF.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Pierre-Paul's inconsistent play made the franchise tag seem reasonable; it gave him another year to earn a lucrative long-term deal. In two seasons (2011 and 2014), he combined for 29 sacks. In his other three, he accumulated a grand total of 13.

After the fireworks incident, Mara spoke openly about shelving long-term contract talks until the team knew the status of Pierre-Paul's hand. With that in the rearview mirror, the team can breathe a sigh of relief. 

For now.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.