Giants “still evaluating” whether to use tag on Landon Collins

The New York Giants are facing a March 5 deadline to decide whether or to use a franchise or transition tag to keep Landon Collins in 2019. GM Dave Gettleman said Wednesday that the team is “still evaluating” whether or not to do that.

“Here’s what everybody has to understand. You’ve got 53 players on your club and you’ve got a salary cap. You don’t have 53 silos. Decisions like this cannot be made in a vacuum.”

A franchise tag would cost the Giants in the neighborhood of $12 million. A transition tag slightly more than $10 million.

Gettleman reminded media on Wednesday that whatever the cap space number the Giants have ($28.8 million per Over The Cap) that you should subtract $10 million for in-season emergencies.

“You’ve gotta go into the season with $8-10 million in space,” Gettleman said. “If you don’t go into the season with 8-10 in space if someone gets hurt you’re playing a rookie.

“Nothing can be done in a vacuum. It can’t. We’re not done.”

If the Giants don’t use a tag on Collins he will be able to become a free agent when that begins in mid-March.