Even though ascending receiver Steve Smith is anxious to cash in and does not want to play out the final year of his original rookie contract, he promises to be an on-time arrival Aug. 1 when Giants training camp opens up in Albany.
Smith is adamant but not militant in his desire to secure a new deal. He's scheduled to make $550,000 this season, which doesn't cut it for a player who shattered the franchise's single-season record for receptions with 107. He was the first Giant to lead the conference in catches since Bob Tucker in 1971. Smith was third in the NFC with 1,220 receiving yards and led all Giants receivers with seven touchdowns.
The Giants want to lock him up with a multi-year deal, but the timing makes it difficult. With no new Collective Bargaining Agreement for the 2011 season, the league is set for an uncapped year, meaning the Giants can offer Smith only a 30-percent increase in base salaries. The Giants can inflate any new contract with bonus money, but they do not want to guarantee the vast majority of any contract they write.
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