Ahmad Bradshaw Release May Hurt Now, But is the Best Move For the Giants

Ahmad Bradshaw's tenure with the Giants ended on Wednesday when the team announced that the starting running back was being released. PHOTO COURTESY: CHRIS FAYTOK/THE STAR-,LEDGER

You know that feeling you get right after you break up with a person you love? Sometimes you can’t eat, you can’t sleep and thinking of that special someone brings all sorts of emotions that you never even knew you could feel.

Overall, it’s a pretty low feeling.

That’s how the Giants fans feel right now after the Giants “dumped” starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw was the Giants leading rusher for the last three seasons and had quickly become one of the most consistent feature backs in the NFL.

Yeah, it stings to cut ties with a player of Bradshaw’s caliber. However, just like that old girlfriend that decided to dump you, you quickly forget about the past and look forward to the future.

Andre Brown (35) will see his role with the Giants increase next year, unless someone tries to steal the restricted free agent from Big Blue. PHOTO COURTESY: ANDREW WEBER/US PRESSWIRE

The future should be bright for the Giants who are looking to move in a different direction and build around a core of young talent. Because of the emergence of running backs Andre Brown and David Wilson, Bradshaw became expendable.

Bradshaw was just the latest veteran to be cut by the Giants who were projected to be nearly $5 million over the salary cap next season. On Tuesday, the Giants cut linebacker Michael Boley. Along with Bradshaw, it was announced on Wednesday that defensive tackle Chris Canty would also be released.

Those three players would have been owed $14.25 million just in base salary for the 2013 season. While Boley was entering his final year of his contract, both Bradshaw and Canty each had two more seasons left on their multi-million dollar deals.

The extra cap space will give the Giants room to fill holes that they have, especially in their line-backing corps and secondary. It also gives them money to spend on their own free agents, including Victor Cruz and left tackle Will Beatty.

The departure of Bradshaw also now presumably opens the door for Wilson and Andre Brown, both of whom were breakout performers in 2012. The Wilson-Brown tandem could actually turn heads as early as next year if Wilson can hold on to the football and Brown can return to his early season form after suffering a broken fibula in the middle of last season.

It is unclear at the moment who will be the starter among the two, but if both can live up to their potential, they will provide a much cheaper backfield for 2013 than Bradshaw would have been.

Despite the benefits, Bradshaw’s release has to be giving the Giants and their fans mixed emotions. He had become the face of a franchise who has won two Super Bowls since 2007.

Mourn the loss of Bradshaw now because come September, people will realize the Giants made the right move in releasing Bradshaw.

Follow Dave Ragazzo on Twitter – @DRagazzo_Sports