Cruz now a Bear, but local adoration lives

Victor Cruz was back in New Jersey on Wednesday, working with many of the same children with whom he has spent previous summers.

To so many of the kids at the Victor Cruz Foundation Football Exhibition and Skills Challenge, at Union City High School, the Paterson, N.J., native remains a local hero, even if he no longer is with the hometown team.

Even if it still seems impossible for many to imagine the receiver in anything but blue.

“The [kids are] like, ‘Why’d you leave, man?’ ” said Cruz, who signed a one-year deal with the Bears on May 25, after being cut by the Giants in February. “I was like, ‘I wish it was my choice. It wasn’t up to me.’ … I’m getting half, ‘Why’d you leave?’ and half, ‘How’s Chicago?’ So, I’ll take it.”

As recently as last month, Cruz wasn’t taking his release so well, having accused the Giants of purposefully not giving him the ball when he was open last season to keep his statistics down so the organization wouldn’t be criticized when it cut the 30-year-old, which saved the team $7.5 million against the salary cap.

Playing in his first full season since 2013, the oft- injured receiver made 39 catches for 586 yards and one touchdown last year. Cruz caught an average of 80 passes for 1,209 yards in his first three seasons (2011-13), but that came before his injuries or the arrival of Odell Beckham Jr.

Cruz opted against expounding on his conspiracy theory Wednesday, and said he hasn’t had talked with anyone in the Giants’ organization — other than former teammates — since making his comments. The Giants denied any plot against Cruz.

“I don’t know what their plans [were],” Cruz said of Giants management.