Victor Cruz free agency rumors: Trades, agent switch add to drama

We already gave you the news that the New York Giants will give restricted free agent wide receiver Victor Cruz a first-round tender for the 2013 season. If he signs it, Cruz would be paid $2.879 million for 2013. Now, let's talk about all of the other dominoes that fell in the Cruz saga on Monday.

First, are the trades of wide receivers Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings to the Seattle Seahawks and Anquan Boldin from the Baltimore Ravens to the San Francisco 49ers.

[49ers: Niners Nation | Seahawks: Field Gullss | Ravens| Baltimore Beatdown | Vikings: Daily Norseman]

Those deals strengthen the two NFC West powers in Seattle and San Francisco, which toughens the Giants' road to the 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium. The deals also might put the Super Bowl champion Ravens in a position where they would consider making a bid for Cruz.

Giants' co-owner John Mara met the media today and was asked several questions about Cruz. He admitted the Giants are taking a "risk" by tendering Cruz.

"Certainly we're taking a risk, but we would still have the right to match and if we decided not to do that, we're getting a first-round draft pick out of it, so yeah, it is a risk for us, and he is an exciting dynamic player," Mara said. "It's not gonna shock me if somebody makes him an offer."

Mara also had this to say about Cruz:

"Like we do with all of our players, there's a limit as to how far we're gonna go on a contract, because you gotta pay 53, okay?" Mara said. "And if the money goes over that limit, then we have to make a decision. But we feel like we're in a good position now, we've tendered him, if somebody wants to make him an offer we'll evaluate whether it makes sense for is or not. My hope is that he's a Giant for many years."

Another piece of business to make note of is that Cruz switched agents on Monday and is now represented by Tom Condon of CAA, who boasts Eli Manning as a client.