New York Giants rework Chauncey Golston's contract

The New York Giants have converted $3.36 million of defensive end Chauncey Golston's salary into a bonus, creating $1.68 million in 2026 salary-cap space, reports Spotrac.

The adjustment leaves New York with about $11.5 million in room heading into Week 5.

Golston signed a three-year, $18 million contract in March 2025 that included $12 million guaranteed and a $4.5 million signing bonus. His 2026 base salary of $5.25 million was already fully guaranteed, which made a simple conversion a straightforward accounting option.

By turning a portion of that salary into bonus money, the Giants spread the charge over the remaining years of the deal. Half of the converted amount stays on the 2026 books, and the other half is pushed into 2027, producing the $1.68 million in immediate relief without changing what Golston is owed in cash.

The restructure comes days after Golston left the Giants' Week 4 game against the Arizona Cardinals with a neck injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. He had been working as a rotational and interior piece on the defensive line in his second season with the club, after an injury-interrupted first year in New York limited him to 10 games and one start.

The adjustment is a bookkeeping move rather than a change in Golston's role. It adds flexibility under the cap while increasing the charge the Giants will carry on his deal in 2027, the final year before he is scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency.