If Markus Golden wants to play in the NFL it 2020, it looks like it will have to be with the New York Giants.
The Giants confirmed that the deadline for other teams to sign Golden to a free agent contract passed at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
There was some confusion about the date the “May 5 tender” went into effect, a little-used tender that the Giants placed in Golden as an unrestricted free agent. Initially, it was thought to be July 22, today, at 4 p.m. ET. That was the original date that the NFL training camps would open. With the opening date pushed back to July 28, it was thought that the other 31 NFL teams would have to sign up to Golden.
Since the Houston Texans rookies and the Kansas City Chiefs reported for the initial rounds of the COVID-19 tests, the window for other teams to bid on Golden has expired.
That means Golden’s rights are reverted exclusively to the Giants and that he would have to play for them in the one-year tender worth 110 percent of his 2019 salary, which means $ 4.125 million for the 2020 season.
According to the NFL Communications website, the Giants now have exclusive bargaining rights with Golden, which has until Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season to sign the tender.
Golden is reportedly not yet planning to sign the tender.
With the deadline passing for OLB Markus Golden to sign with another team, the player does not plan to sign his unrestricted ‘May 5’ offer with the Giants today, by source. The tender works like a franchise tag and can wait to sign. He is ready to win $ 4.125 million with NYG.
– Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 22, 2020
Golden had 12.5 sacks for the Arizona Cardinals in 2016, but only 2.5 sacks in the next two seasons after suffering a severe knee injury. He had a recovery season for the Giants in 2020, picking up a 10.0-team-leading sack after signing a one-year “prove it” deal with the team.
The 29-year-old agent entered free agency expecting a robust market, but couldn’t find one.
If he signs the tender, he will join edge defenders Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, Kyler Fackrell and rookie Carter Coughlin.
