RETURN GAME

Cruz, confident in play, hopes to be back

HOUSTON — Victor Cruz looks at the modest numbers he put up for the Giants this past season and sees the potential for more.

“Absolutely, it’s definitely a building block,’’ Cruz said Thursday. “I do feel in limited time and limited targets and reps and snaps I’ve done a good job of showing I can make plays and showing I can do some things on the field. Definitely I use it as kind of a baseline to go upward and onward.’’

But do the Giants see it the same way?

“That’s the question,’’ Cruz said.

Cruz, 30, knows something has to be done with his contract and he is hoping to come to some sort of financial meeting of the minds with the Giants. The final two years of his deal are cost-prohibitive for the Giants, because Cruz has a base salary of $6.4 million this season and $7.4 million in 2018. He would cost $9.4 million and $8.5 million, respectively, against the salary cap the next two years.

After missing nearly two complete seasons following knee and calf surgeries, Cruz returned in 2016 and played in 15 games. He had his moments, but finished with only 39 receptions for 586 yards and one touchdown.

Cruz took a pay cut last year to stay on the roster and will have to do so again, if the Giants give him the chance.

“It’s a little different, obviously, because I was able to play and able to do things,’’ said Cruz before getting green-slimed at the Nickelodeon Superstar Slime Showdown that airs Sunday at noon. “Last year I kinda knew, coming off two injuries, two seasons, I knew that was coming. And even this year, I understand the business side of it and understand what my numbers are and what I’m due to make next year, I understand all of that stuff.’’

Cruz operated in 2016 almost exclusively as an outside receiver, as the Giants coaching staff preferred rookie Sterling Shepard work out of the slot — the inside spot where Cruz developed into a star receiver. If Cruz wants to go back to the slot, he may have to look elsewhere.

“Maybe, you never know,’’ Cruz said. “You got to take it as it comes, eat the food that’s given to you and see how it tastes. Obviously playing the slot is something I’m best at and an opportunity to do that would definitely be great.’’

Cruz has not heard anything yet from the Giants, but is on record as stating he wants to finish his career in blue. Some of his former teammates — Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham — signed elsewhere, with limited success.