A source confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com the planned tender for Cruz, which hasn’t yet officially been made by the team.

The two sides have been unable to reach an extension so the team will tender the highest RFA tender available, worth $2.879 million for this season, to Cruz.

The first-round tender also means that the Giants will have “the right of first refusal” if another team makes Cruz a lucrative contract offer. The Giants can match any deal made by another team or receive a first-round pick as compensation if they refuse to match.

The Giants also tendered safety Stevie Brown and running back Andre Brown at second-round tenders, worth $2.023 million in salary. Mara, speaking to reporters at an NFL event, said the team did not tender restricted free agent running back Ryan Torain, who still could re-sign with the team later.

The Giants want to re-sign Cruz to a long-term deal but the two sides have been apart on financial terms. Cruz’s camp will want to see how much wide receivers like the recently traded Percy Harvin, and free agents Greg Jennings and Mike Wallace will sign for soon.

The Giants are taking a risk by tendering Cruz since their cap space is somewhat limited and they still need to re-sign free agents such as left guard Kevin Boothe and tight end Martellus Bennett. The team also wants to sign Hakeem Nicks to a long-term extension with the wide receiver entering the final year of his deal.

Teams typically do not show much interest in restricted free agents but Cruz, 26, is coming off two incredibly productive seasons with a total of 168 catches for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns.

The Giants hope that the RFA tender will allow them to keep Cruz for this season and give them more time to negotiate a long-term extension.

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“I’m going to officially put the cleats on the shelf. I’m going to walk away from the game,” the four-time Pro Bowler said.

The Packers announced that he will take part in a formal news conference at Lambeau Field on Feb. 6 at 12 a.m. ET.

“I played my entire career in Green Bay and have always enjoyed a special bond with the fans,” Driver said in a statement released by the team. “I can think of no better way to retire than to celebrate with them and the Packers organization.”

Fans are invited to attend Driver’s retirement news conference and tickets will be distributed free of charge.

“I’m going to open my retirement up to the fans … give them everything they deserve,” Driver told ESPN Radio.

Taken in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft out of Alcorn State, the 37-year-old Driver retires as the Packers’ all-time leader in receptions (743) and yards (10,137). He also had 61 touchdown receptions (third on Packers’ all-time list) in 205 career games, all with the Packers.

He’s one of only 18 wide receivers in NFL history with 700-plus career catches and 10,000 or more receiving yards in 200 games.

There were three wide receivers taken in the first round of the 1999 draft — Torry Holt, David Boston, and Troy Edwards. Driver had 225 more career receptions, 3,034 more yards and 25 more touchdowns than Boston and Edwards, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Only Brett Favre played more games in a Packers uniform.

“All 14 years. Every day,” Driver told ESPN Radio. “That’s a special place to walk out of, and that’s something I’ll never forget.”

He had seven 1,000-yard seasons, also a Packers record for a receiver. He had six straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2004-09, averaging 14 yards per catch during the stretch. He made at least one catch in 133 straight games from 2002 to 2010, another franchise record.

“It was a pleasure to share the field with you for 4 years! Great player, tremendous person. #retire80,” offensive guard T.J. Lang said on Twitter.

Aaron Rodgers added, “Thanks for the memories quickie, you will be missed #Packer4Life.”

Quickie is Driver’s childhood nickname.

He turns 38 on Saturday.

It wasn’t just his performance on the field that made Driver one of the most beloved players in Packers history. Fans were charmed by his bright smile and infectious laugh, and moved by his story of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Growing up, Driver and his family were so poor that he, his mother and siblings sometimes spent the nights in a U-Haul. He and his brother stole cars to get money, and Driver sold drugs, too.

Driver never forgot that tough childhood, remaining active in the community throughout his career.

“His contribution to the history of the Green Bay Packers has been extraordinary,” Bart Starr said in the Packers’ statement. “I am honored to congratulate him on all of his achievements on and off the field.”

Though Driver had said he hoped to play until he was 40, his retirement was hardly a surprise. He had restructured the final year of his contract to come back this season, but played only a bit role in the offense with Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb ahead of him on the depth chart. Driver’s eight catches for 77 yards were his lowest totals since his rookie season, and he was inactive for four games, including the NFC wild-card game, his final contest at Lambeau Field.

“It’s always difficult, especially when you feel you can still play the game,” Driver told ESPN Radio. “There’s other things out there. There’s the next chapter of your career and I’m ready for it.”

Driver said he is eager to spend more time with his family. Driver and his wife, Bettina, have three kids.

“Someone is always going to be able to tell my kids that their dad was a great football player,” Driver told ESPN Radio. “But no one will be able to tell my kids that their dad was a great dad and a great husband, so I have to be able to show them that.”

The post Donald Driver to retire from NFL appeared first on IdealCapper.

Beamer announced Friday that he’s hired former Auburn offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler to lead Virginia Tech’s offense, former Stanford wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead to take over the Hokies’ wideouts, and another Auburn assistant, Jeff Grimes, to coach the offensive line. Grimes was Auburn’s O-line coach.

The Hokies finished 7-6, in large part because of their inability to run the ball consistently and a regressing passing game. Virginia Tech’s streak of eight consecutive 10-win seasons ended, and the Hokies had to win their last two regular-season games just to qualify for the Russell Athletic Bowl — where they beat Rutgers 13-10 in overtime.

The moves mark the second major overhaul of Beamer’s offensive staff in seven years, and the departures of three staffers brought on during the last one. Quarterbacks coach Mike O’Cain was fired, receivers coach Kevin Sherman left for the same position at Purdue and Curt Newsome left the program, reportedly to head back to James Madison, although the school has not said if he was fired or resigned.

Bryan Stinespring, the offensive coordinator since 2001 and a 20-year member of Beamer’s staff, has been moved to recruiting coordinator. Considered the Hokies’ best recruiter, he also will continue to coach tight ends.

The new coaches will be introduced next Friday.

While Stinespring had the coordinator’s title, O’Cain has called the plays for the past two seasons.

The Stinespring-O’Cain combination directed a record-setting season in 2011, largely on the legs of NFL first-round draft choice David Wilson at tailback and the arm of emerging quarterback Logan Thomas. Wilson ran for a school-record 1,709 yards, and Thomas had a school-record 3,482 total yards.

But 2012 marked a return to the inconsistency that often prompted Hokies fans to call for change. Virginia Tech finished 81st nationally in both total offense (376.7 ypg) and scoring (25.08 ppg). Thomas had 3,500 yards of total offense, but completed just 51.3 percent of his throws and had 16 interceptions.

Beamer, who is intensely loyal to his staff and often cites the absence of significant turnover for allowing the Hokies to climb the ranks into college football’s elite, decided change was in order. He is thought to have interviewed several candidates for the coordinator’s job during the past few weeks.

Loeffler, 38, has coached for 15 seasons in the NFL and in college. He was the offensive coordinator at Temple in 2011 when the Owls finished 9-4 and ranked seventh in the nation with an average of 256.5 rushing yards. He moved to Auburn last season, and the inexperienced Tigers struggled mightily. They averaged just 305 yards, 115th out of 120 teams at the FBS level, and were 112th in scoring (18.67).

He has also coached six quarterbacks who went on to play in the NFL, including New England’s Tom Brady and Florida’s Tim Tebow, who left the Gators with five NCAA and 14 Southeastern Conference records.

Grimes, 44, spent five seasons at Auburn, including the national championship year in 2010, and worked with Loeffler last season.

Moorehead, 32, has been an assistant at Stanford for the past three years.

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