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Schefter: Cruz won't get offer sheet

Don't expect Victor Cruz to get an offer sheet from another NFL team before the April 19 deadline. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The odds have always been in favor of the Giants keeping Victor Cruz around for at least this year.

We've been saying it for a while now and so has our man Adam Schefter. Now, the ESPN NFL insider wants people to know exactly how remote of a chance it is that Cruz will receive an offer sheet from another team by April 19, the deadline for teams to make a restricted free agent a contract offer.

Schefter tweeted on Thursday: "Strong belief: There's as much chance a team will sign Victor Cruz to offer sheet as there is one will deal for Tim Tebow. Neither happening."

There you have it. Look, it's pretty simple. if any team wants to try to pry Cruz away from the Giants, they have to make a lucrative contract offer to the receiver -- likely north of $8 or $9 million a year -- and part with a first-round pick in this year's draft. That is a steep price even for a receiver as talented and marketable as Cruz.

The Giants have the right to match any offer after tendering Cruz with a first-round RFA tender. If no team offers Cruz, he can sign his tender ($2.879 million for this season) and play out the season and become an unrestricted free agent. The Giants, though, could designate the franchise tag on Cruz.

So expect Cruz's camp to work on a long-term extension this year with the Giants. Eli Manning certainly hopes Cruz's new agent, Tom Condon, will be able to keep Cruz around for a long time. After all, Condon is Manning's agent as well.

Of course, the Giants will have to find money to extend Cruz and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who is entering the final year of his deal. But at least they likely will not have to decide whether to try to match a big deal for Cruz.

Tell us if you are feeling any better about Cruz's future below.