Giants exercise fifth-year option on CB Amukamara

The Giants picked up Prince Amukamara's fifth-year option. (USATSI)

The New York Giants exercised their fifth-year player option on CB Prince Amukamara, the team announced Thursday.

The deadline for the Giants is this Saturday, May 3, a provision that was installed in the new CBA which required every 2011 first-round pick to have an automatic player option tacked onto their contract. Amukamara was taken 19^th overall in the 2011 draft.

Amukamara's option price tag is likely a little bit north of $7 million, a somewhat steep price for a good yet hardly elite defensive back. Coach Tom Coughlin recently called Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie the team's top defensive back, and under the option, Amukamara would make a bit more than him.

Still, the Giants' decision is only guaranteed against injury until the first day of next season (before it becomes fully guaranteed), so that buys the team more time to either work on a long-term deal or cut him after next year if he doesn't perform up to expectations.

Amukamara started all 16 games last season for New York and had 85 tackles, one interception and 14 pass deflections.

It probably was the right move for the Giants and gives them more security at a historically injury-riddled position.

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Despite ankle surgery, Panthers say QB Cam Newton will not run less this season



Panthers quarterback Cam Newton ran for 585 yards last season, a very respectful total but his lowest in three NFL seasons. He also underwent ankle surgery last month that is expected to keep him out of action until training camp. But once Newton is ready, the Panthers plan to use him like normal; you shouldn't expect Newton to fall further than 585."We don't want to take away a weapon," head coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday to the speculation that Newton will run less this season.



It's just one sentence about Newton in an article really about the Panthers' priorities in next week's draft. Two big priorities: Help on the offensive line to protect Newton, and help at wide receiver to catch his passes. Assuming Newton recovers well from his surgery, I will have no concerns about him. But everyone should be concerned about the Panthers' receiving corps, currently headed by Jerricho Cotchery and Tiquan Underwood. That weakness, and a patchy offensive line, will have more of an effect on Newton than ankle surgery. His fantasy value hinges heavily on how the Panthers address their group of wide receivers in the draft.