Giants Country

Cap Numbers | A Look at ILB Blake Martinez's Three-Year Deal

The Giants added some depth at inside linebacker by signing fomer Packers defender Blake Martinez. Here's a look at how his three-year contract breaks down in terms of cap numbers and value.
Patricia Traina|
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY

Thus far, the Giants' free agency activity has mostly addressed the defensive side of the ball, the first signing being former Panthers cornerback James Bradberry and the second being former Packers linebacker Blake Martinez.

This should come as no surprise as the Giants defense last year was sorely lacking in terms of production from the back seven, especially against the pass where opponents routinely had gaping holes to exploit.

The total value of the Martinez deal is three years, $30.75 million, with $19 million guaranteed. He'll get a $4 million fully-guaranteed base salary and a $10 million roster bonus (due March 23 of this year) for a $14 million cap hit. He'll then get base salaries of $8.125 million (fully guaranteed) in 2021 and $8.425 million in 2022, the final year of the deal.

Although Martinez has roughly a $14 million cap hit for 2020, the deal itself averages out to a little more than $10 million per season. That's $2 million less than the reported three-year, $36 million deal Cory Littleton reportedly signed with the Raiders.

Pro Football Focus doesn't sound as though they're a fan of the deal, giving it a "below average" rating.

At various points in his career, Martinez has shown the skill set necessary to be top-10 NFL linebacker. In 2017, his run-defense grade of 89.6 ranked sixth among linebackers. The following year, his 82.6 coverage grade ranked ninth at the position. The problem is that he’s never put it all together in the same year, and last season, Martinez struggled in both facets with a 57.7 overall grade. The durability and the tackle numbers shine this deal in a favorable light, but as we know, there is more to a player’s performance than that. The Giants will be hoping that Martinez can put together a complete season in 2020.

Financially speaking, I like how the contract is structured. The Giants are taking full advantage of the fact that they have their franchise quarterback and running back on their rookie deals, both of which don't represent a large chunk of change against the cap. 

By deploying a roster bonus instead of a signing bonus, the Giants are setting things up to where if they want to move on from any of the players they've signed this year, they can do so with no dead money. That would set them up nicely for when Saquon Barkley is eligible to redo his deal (after this year) and for when Daniel Jones is eligible to red-do his contract (in two years).

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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