Jason Pierre-Paul also missing tip of right thumb

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a fireworks incident on July 4, leading to his right index finger being amputated. Now, it is being reported by ESPN that Pierre-Paul also lost the tip of his right thumb.

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Pierre-Paul was seeking a long-term contract this summer and was reportedly offered $60 million but turned it down before blowing part of his hand off. The offer was then taken off the table, and Pierre-Paul was left with the option of signing the one-year franchise tag. However, Pierre-Paul balked at that and continues to be without a contract.

The Giants are in a tough spot here. New York can’t sign Pierre-Paul to a long-term deal before seeing what he can do with 3.5 fingers on his right hand. At the same time, the Giants don’t want to let their most talented defensive player walk if he has anything in the tank.

Pierre-Paul was the 15th-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of South Florida before racking up 4.5 sacks as a rookie. Then Pierre-Paul broke out in a huge way in 2011, amassing 16.5 sacks and becoming an All-Pro on the way to a Super Bowl title. However, Pierre-Paul struggled over the next two seasons with production and health, playing in 27 games and notching just 8.5 sacks. In 2014, Pierre-Paul took advantage of a contract season and totaled 12.5 sacks, looking dominant once more.

New York might be better off by allowing Pierre-Paul to leave after this season, regardless of whether he plays at some point. The Giants don’t appear to be a playoff contender, and there is a solid chance that head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese will be shown the door. The Giants need to rebuild this team, and using a player with 3.5 fingers on one hand as a pillar seems like a questionable decision.