Sterling Shepard is the longest-tenured member of the New York Giants and will remain so heading into the 2022 season.
Shepard and the Giants agreed to a reworked one-year contract that will keep him signed for next season, but will also wipe the final year of his previous contract (2023) from the books.
The #Giants and WR Sterling Shepard have reached agreement on a restructured contract, sources tell me and @RapSheet. The longest-tenured player on the roster is sticking for a seventh season.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 10, 2022
WR Sterling Shepard is returning on a reworked one-year deal with the Giants, per source. Team’s longest-tenured player wanted to return. Was previously signed through 2023.
(@MikeGarafolo first on Shepard returning)
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) March 10, 2022
Shepard’s status with the Giants was up in the air due to his contract. If he were released, the team would have saved $4.5 million in cap space but ate a ton of dead cap. And given general manager Joe Schoen’s quest to clear $40 million from the books, you have to imagine this re-worked deal saved around that same amount (maybe a bit less).
Shepard, who only appeared in seven games for the Giants due to injuries last season (included a torn Achilles at the end of the year), had just 36 catches for 366 yards and one touchdown — all career lows.
Shepard had signed a four-year, $41 million extension and would have counted for $12.4 million against the cap in 2022.
