Jacobs may have to adjust for Bradshaw

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs spent last season splitting carries. If they hope to do so this year, they may have to split some money.

While the Giants pursue Bradshaw, an unrestricted free agent coming off a well-timed career season, they have spent time the last two days talking to Jacobs about restructuring his contract. Jacobs has two years remaining and is due $4.65 million in base salary in 2011. He has said in the past he would be agreeable to a slight reduction in that number.

The Giants might need it if they hope to retain Bradshaw. With DeAngelo Williams agreeing to return to the Panthers Wednesday on a deal that will reportedly pay him $21 million in guaranteed money, the price tag for a 1,000-yard rusher was established.

The Giants had an offer in front of Bradshaw Wednesday, but the running back is playing the market. He's been training in Miami and has made comments suggesting he would like to play for the Dolphins. There were reports from Florida, though, that Bradshaw's asking price had become too high for the Dolphins and they had begun to negotiate with their own free-agent running back, Ronnie Brown.

If the Giants cannot bring Bradshaw back, there does appear to be plenty of other available running backs to chose from including Brown, Joseph Addai, Cedric Benson and even Darren Sproles. There is a good chance Reggie Bush could be released by the Saints this week as well.

Ideally, the Giants would like to keep both Jacobs and Bradshaw. Jacobs, who was joined at the team's facility by his wife and son Wednesday, has not yet agreed to any reduced salary although those discussions are expected to continue. Negotiations with Bradshaw are also expected to continue Thursday.

Last year Bradshaw usurped Jacobs as the primary running back in the two-back system and had the best year of his career, rushing for 1,235 yards and eight touchdowns. Jacobs had difficulty dealing with the uneven split in the workload at first but had a productive season himself, the first in which he remained healthy for a full 16 games. After the season, even Tom Coughlin was suggesting that the Giants will need to use Jacobs more in 2011.

They just may have to pay him less for it if they want to keep the two backs who call themselves brothers together.