NFL Free Agency: New York Giants Cut Ahmad Bradshaw
By Josh Hill
A year after giving him the starting job, the New York Giants have parted ways with running back Ahmad Bradshaw, thus freeing up salary cap space to make a run at some free agents this offseason and to ensure they have money to lock up exiting free agents like Osi Umenyiora and Victor Cruz. By cutting Bradshaw, the Giants have erased his $3.75 million salary from the books and have fully invested their faith into rookie running back David Wilson.
Wilson filled in for Bradshaw at times last season when Bradshaw and Andre Brown missed games due to injury and he truly emerged as a viable starter for the Giants. Many thought that New York would run with a split backfield of Bradshaw and Wilson next season, but that’s clearly not going to happen moving forward.
Rather, Andre Brown seems to be the man who’s been promoted to the Wilson role form last year, as the Giants are apparently comfortable enough with a Wilson/Brown tandem in 2013.
To his credit, Bradshaw sort of saw the writing on the wall as when he announced that he’d had yet another foot surgery that he understood being released was a distinct possibility. Bradshaw burst onto the scene a few years ago when he rushed for a career high 1,235 yards in 2010. Despite only playing in 14 games this past season, Bradshaw still racked up over 1,000 yards but was held back by numerous ailments throughout the season.
He’ll find work, there’s not question about that as teams like the Packers, Rams or even the Jets could use a back like Bradshaw at their disposal. But the Giants are moving on from their back, which is monumental because their not only handing the ball off to a rookie in Wilson, but they’re clearly trying to shed salary for potential moves this offseason.