Report: Giants cornerback James Bradberry is headed to the open market

According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants have advised cornerback James Bradberry that he is going to be released.

This means that Bradberry — who will be beginning his seventh NFL season — will be available to the Kansas City Chiefs without taking on his $13.5 million salary for 2022 — or renegotiating the contract of a 28-year defensive back.

The Chiefs had been reported to be among the teams that had been attempting to trade for Bradberry — but that was before the team had invested a first-round pick in Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie, a fourth-round pick for Fayetteville State cornerback Joshua Williams and a seventh-round pick on Marshall cornerback/safety Nazeeh Johnson. And then, two days after the draft, the team sent a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans to acquire 25-year-old cornerback Lonnie Johnson, who has one year remaining on his rookie deal.

Bradberry has been solid through four years seasons with the Carolina Panthers and two in New York — but may have hit his peak in 2020, when he made the Pro Bowl after intercepting three passes, forcing a pair of fumbles and holding opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 81.2.

Will Kansas City general manager Brett Veach still be interested in Bradberry?

Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson — who primarily covers the Texans — thinks so.

We’re about to find out.