New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul took to social media on Tuesday to prove to fans of Big Blue that he's working hard to get back onto the field. In a video posted to his personal Instagram page, JPP shows himself working on his initial get-off while a small weight sled is attached to a harness strapped around his shoulders and chest. The video doesn't really allow fans a close look at Pierre-Paul's injured hand, though several reports on Tuesday indicated that the damage to the hand was more extensive than originally feared and that the mammoth defensive end was missing a portion of his thumb as well as his amputated ring finger. While it's likely encouraging to fans that JPP is hard at work in his attempt to make a triumphant return, it seems the team isn't going to bank on his contributions, now or at any point in the future.
A team source indicated on Wednesday to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News that while the team hasn't ruled out a return for JPP this year, they're also not expecting it. As the source put it to Vacchiano, "we just don't know."
The team has not, as of yet, rescinded the $14.8 million franchise tag they offered to their former first-round pick earlier this offseason, though it's almost certain that some kind of compromise bridge deal would have to be hammered out before Pierre-Paul could actually step foot on the field. While he hasn't signed the tender, it loses $871,000 in value every week that Pierre-Paul misses.
There isn't an immediate deadline for the team to make a decision on Pierre-Paul, but if Pierre-Paul hasn't signed the tag by Nov. 17, his 2015 season will officially be done and his future in New York will very much be in question.
