New York Giants Free Agency: The Pros and Cons of Re-Signing Ahmad Bradshaw

The New York Giants came to an agreement yesterday with top running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

They inked him to a four-year, $18 million deal. As a fan, I was excited when I heard the news. As I examined it though, I began to weigh the decision further. These are the conclusions I came up with.

First, there are several factors that make this a good signing. One, he knows the offense, obviously. He has been in the same system for a few years now and has excelled in it. He began as a role player and substitute for Brandon Jacobs and turned into the starter over Jacobs. How ironic, then, is it that Jacobs is the one that made this signing possible by restructuring his contract in the first place?

Bradshaw has been an elite running back in the league since taking over the lead role in the offense. He had 1,235 yards rushing with eight TDs last year. Still, with Jacobs factored into the mix, they make for a lethal tandem to be unleashed on the rest of the NFL.

Next, the Giants actually signed him for less than he wanted. Reports say that he was "excited" when he found out that the Carolina Panthers re-signed DeAngelo Williams for a five-year/ $48 million deal. He felt it was comparable to the deal he would eventually get somewhere.

The entire fiasco to re-sign Bradshaw began with his agent reporting that the Miami Dolphins were a leader in the race to acquire him. Then, a few days ago, the Dolphins traded for Reggie Bush, thereby taking them out of the picture.

Then, in an attempt to reestablish his value, Bradshaw, most likely his agent, set up meetings with the Washington Redskins and the Cincinnati Bengals. Both teams, however, quickly made moves to solidify their running back needs, the Redskins trading with the Arizona Cardinals to obtain Tim Hightower and the Bengals re-signing Cedric Benson.

This led to Bradshaw's value plummeting. He eventually resigned with Big Blue for less than the yearly value of Williams' contract but certainly more than he was previously making. He will average around $4.50 million per year with a total of $9 million on the contract guaranteed.

This is considerably less than the more than $9 million per year average Williams is set to make. Therefore, the Giants were able to use the market against Bradshaw.

Next, Bradshaw is someone who loves New York. He embraces it. In a recent interview, he said,

"I'd rather stay," Bradshaw said on ESPN's "NFL Live" last week about New York. "I've set my foundation there in New York and I love just the excitement there. The fans are great. The community is great out there. I love New York the most but the price is going to talk."

He understands the fans, the culture and the community. He thrives on it. His numbers suggest this. He is a fan favorite and a locker room favorite as well. His departure would have hurt the team's overall unity for a little while at the very least.

Finally, Bradshaw is a unique threat. He is a rare talent that combines explosiveness and vision to his position. He adds the uncanny ability of being able to make plays and turn a loss into a gain. He can catch the ball and open things up for the offense. He is a good up-field blocker for other receivers as well. He does almost all of the little things right.

Which brings me to my list of negatives. There are not many. In fact, there are only two I can think of.

First, speaking of the little things done right, he seems to lose focus on the location of the ball. He has lost six fumbles last season. That is six drives that were ended abruptly due to a lack of concentration or a desire to make the extra yard. Those can be great qualities, but ball security must be the first priority at all times. This has to be, and will most likely be, fixed.

Next, he may eventually have health concerns, as the older he gets in this contract, the less durable he gets. That is actually the nature of the sport. He will be 25 this year and seems to be in the prime of his career. The team has let him adjust slowly over the years, as not to wear him down. That is a plus, but by the end of the contract, he will be 29.

The latter end of his deal will be around the time that most running backs begin to break down for some reason or another, in their late 20s. We can hope this does not happen to him, but that hope is not a guarantee for exceeding the laws of average among this in his position in the NFL.

Overall, I believe the good outweighs the bad heavily. He is an asset and an elite player that this team needs to have on board. He likes the city he plays for, the players he plays with and the coaches that instruct him. He has mostly been a positive influence during his career and has played most of the team's games in his time here.

With Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield, other teams must take notice and must adjust properly. If they fail to do so, he can and will take advantage of them. That can only be a good thing for the Giants.

For more on the New York Giants, please click here for my Giants blog Big Giants Boom.