Chris Simms calls re-signing of Jason Pierre-Paul “one of the most boneheaded moves of the offseason”

Chris Simms referred to the deal New York Giants signed defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to as “one of the most boneheaded moves of the offseason”.

Simms, the oldest son of former Giants quarterback and CBS NFL analyst Phil Simms, filed a story for Bleacher Report detailing what he believes are the NFL’s most head scratching deals of the offseason. He was especially bothered by Pierre-Paul’s four-year, $62 million deal with $40 million guaranteed.

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“I like New York Giants pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul—don’t get me wrong—but I don’t understand the team’s decision to give him a four-year, $62 million deal with $40 million guaranteed,” Simms wrote.

“The Giants are paying Pierre-Paul like he’s one of the best 10 defenders in the game, and he isn’t. He only had 7.0 sacks in 12 games last season. Three of those sacks came against (former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle) Austin Pasztor, who has no business starting in the NFL.”

Simms also thought the Giants could have “found a seven-sack guy in the draft for a fraction of the cost”. He also believes that Pierre-Paul’s contract made it difficult for the team to re-sign Johnathan Hankins. Hankins signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts.

“What makes this move even more boneheaded is that it may have prevented New York from re-signing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who is a better lineman for my money,” Simms wrote.

“The Giants offered Hankins a four-year deal worth $7 million a year. Hankins signed a three-year with the Indianapolis Colts worth $9 million per year. Are you really telling me the $2 million it cost the Giants had to go to a 28-year-old with an injury history and marginal production? I don’t buy it, and I think it was a boneheaded move.”

Simms, to his credit, brings up some valid points but he is misguided.

Pierre-Paul was second on the team in the sacks before an injury cost him the final four regular season games of 2016 and the playoff game. He was leading or near the top of the Giants’ defense in virtually every statistical category. There is little doubt he would have made the Pro Bowl if he didn’t have to have surgery.

Simms pointed out Pierre-Paul’s sack number as a reason he didn’t deserve his deal. The number of sacks only tell part of the story. Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon were in more defensive snaps than any other defensive end combo in the league before the injury. Vernon was the beneficiary of mismatch opportunity because JPP was out there.

Pierre-Paul’s contract had nothing to do with the team not re-signing Hankins. Simms failed to mention that Hankins was replaced by Dalvin Tomlinson, a player who drew comparisons to Hankins throughout the draft process. Simms also forgot that Tomlinson (who was the first Giants rookie to sign his deal) is younger and cheaper than Hankins.

Pierre-Paul’s injury history is cause for concern. At the same time, he was able to accomplish much without two good hands. Pierre-Paul is the leader of the Giants defense. He bounced back admirably after it looked like his NFL career was, to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson, deader than fried chicken.

He is worth every dime to anchor a defense that allowed the second fewest points in the NFL last season.

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