Sometimes the best moves happen in silence — a contract tweak here, a number shuffled there — but the message underneath speaks volumes.
That’s exactly what the New York Giants did on Thursday when they quietly restructured edge rusher Brian Burns’ contract to create $10 million in cap space.
And while that move gives them flexibility ahead of training camp, the real headline lies in the deal they didn’t touch.
Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen talks to media before the start of training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Restructuring Burns opens up cap flexibility
According to OverTheCap.com, the Giants were hovering around $6 million in available space before this restructure.
By converting $10 million of Burns’ salary into a bonus and spreading it over future years, they now have more room to work with this summer.
Burns is locked into a five-year, $141 million extension and this move doesn’t change much structurally — it just eases the burden for 2025.
This opens the door for additional midseason flexibility or room to add veteran depth if injuries strike during the preseason.
And with a tough schedule on the horizon and a young roster still rounding into form, that extra financial breathing room matters.
Andrew Thomas remains untouched — and that’s no accident
The bigger statement was who wasn’t part of Thursday’s news: left tackle Andrew Thomas.
The Giants could’ve restructured his deal and freed up even more money with ease. But they chose not to.
And that restraint says everything you need to know about how they’re approaching the 26-year-old cornerstone — with caution.
Thomas is entering the first year of a five-year extension that includes $67 million in guaranteed money. The Giants have a potential out in 2027 with just $4.6 million in dead money.
In other words, they’ve built in a safety net — and they don’t want to jeopardize it without seeing more proof of durability.
Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) takes a water break during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports
Durability has become a real concern
Thomas has only played more than 1,000 snaps once in his career and has missed major chunks of the last two seasons.
When healthy, he’s one of the league’s best pass-protecting tackles. But that’s been the problem — the health part.
Last season, he allowed four sacks and 16 pressures in just 416 total snaps, struggling through multiple lower-body issues.
The Giants need to see a full season of high-level play before they commit to pushing any money further down the road.
It’s a gamble they’re smart to avoid — for now
Touching Thomas’s deal would’ve been the easy move. But easy isn’t always smart — especially when injury history looms large.
Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are fighting for results this year, but they’re not desperate enough to mortgage future flexibility yet.
The restructure of Burns is a calculated, low-risk maneuver that helps now without harming later.
Leaving Thomas’s deal alone shows this front office still has long-term discipline — even with pressure mounting.
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