Jon Beason restructures contract with Giants

The New York Giants have a little bit more money to work with under the salary cap after getting middle linebacker Jon Beason to accept a a pay cut that will save the Giants $3 million.

Beason was entering the second year of a three-year, $17 million contract. The specifics of Beason's re-worked contract are not yet known, but the Daily News reported it as "mostly" a pay cut. Beason would have counted nearly $6.7 million against the 2015 cap without re-working his deal.

The Giants will now enter the free-agent signing period, which begins at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, with about $16 million in cap space.

Beason played in only four games in 2014 after suffering a foot injury in OTAs.

Beason had said recently that he was willing to take a pay cut to remain with the Giants:

"Unfortunately when you're making more than league [minimum], you're susceptible to having to take a pay cut based on injury,'' Beason said. "A lot of that has to do with leverage. What I learned is you can't take it personal that the team is going to come after you to get money back based on an injury because the other 31 other teams are on the same page. It's the nature of the business, it's not personal, because the other 31 employers would all do the same thing. You kind of learn that. At the same time, staying in the game and getting to play is ultimately what you want, and they know that.

"I've learned to be a business professional about it and try to keep the emotion away from it. I truly, truly love to show up and play because I love to compete, and ultimately I want to leave this game with a ring on my finger.''