Cowboys Dez, Giants JPP + The Fireworks
By Mike Fisher | @fishsports
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) -- I revealed last week on FISHNATO on 105.3 The Fan that never in my life have I shot off fireworks. I accept that it's something fun to watch on July 4th (especially if you are in the company of small children and can enjoy the show through their awe-struck eyes).
But cherry bombs and bottle rockets and even firecrackers -- the risk/reward for me has always simply been too great.
And today, Jason Pierre-Paul wishes he was me.
The Giants star defensive end was in the middle of a Dez Bryant-like contract negotiation with an offer on the table (in JPP's case a $60-mil deal) and a franchise-tag tender of $14.8 mil for 2015 still unsigned by him. Not signing it means he has no protection against injury of any sort...
And then came his July 4th, and varying reports on just how much injury he did to himself — (reports immediately ranged from "He'll lose two fingers!'' to "Severe burns and nerve damage in his hand'') — but in any event, the Giants have now reportedly withdrawn the long-term offer.
And they'll likely contemplate rescinding the franchise tag as they learn more about the severity of the foolish injury.
If they do so, JPP becomes an unrestricted free agent. Allowing that seems unlikely, but New York has until July 15 to make a medical/financial/football decision.
That July 15 deadline is familiar to Dallas fans because it works the same way for Dez Bryant to either play under his one-year guaranteed tag number ($12.832 mil) or forge with the Cowboys a long-term deal.
Bryant is also presently "at risk,'' if you will, because he hasn't signed his tender, either. This status worried some when Dez, playing in left field alongside 105.3 The Fan's Mike Bacsik, celebrated a defensive player by launching himself into an aerial backflip.
A risky thing to do? I cannot relate. About the only thing I am less likely to do than to light fireworks is to perform an aerial backflip.
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