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Decisions, Decisions: Giants Mulling Franchise Tag For Pierre-Paul

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Will he be a Giant next season?

Between now and March 2, NFL teams have to decide whether or not to use a franchise tag on certain players. The Giants are currently thinking long and hard about wether they will do just that with Jason Pierre-Paul.

There are two types of tags -- exclusive and non-exclusive. Exclusive comes with a one-year salary of the average of the top five players at his position, or in Pierre-Paul's case around $15 million, with the Giants being the only team allowed to negotiate with him. Non-exclusive would allow other teams to talk to JPP, but they would have to hand over two first-round picks if they sign him. On top of that, Big Blue would have the right to match any offer.

Pierre-Paul is coming off a bounce-back season in which he recorded 12.5 sacks and 77 tackles in 16 games after registering just two sacks and 27 tackles during an injury-riddled season in 2013.

The problem the Giants face is franchising the 26-year-old defensive end would cost them a huge chunk of their projected $18 million in salary cap space. And though co-owner John Mara told the New York Post the franchise tag "is certainly one of our options," it's not something the Giants really want to do considering their other needs coming off a 6-10 season.

The Giants would prefer to work out a long-term deal with Pierre-Paul, who figures to command an average of $12 million per season, the Post reported.

Regardless of how they get his name on a contract, the Giants expect JPP to be back on their defensive line next season.

"We would certainly like him back, but it would have to be at the right price, something that makes sense for us,'' Mara told the newspaper not long after the season ended. "I would be very surprised if he was not a Giant next year.''

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