After signing a five-year, $43 million contract extension in 2013, then-Giants star Victor Cruz saved his first big paycheck.

Cruz hopes that his close friend and former teammate, Odell Beckham Jr., has decisions to make with some big paychecks from the Giants in the near future.

Beckham has an $8.4 million option on his rookie contract for 2018 but it is no secret that he is looking for a mega extension. Giants co-owner John Mara most recently deferred questions on Beckham's future until after the star wide receiver and new coach Pat Shumur connected.

"He deserves every bit of it," Cruz told NJ Advance Media. "He's proved up until this point that he's worth however much they are wiling to pay him. I think he's excited to be a Giant for a long time. I think they are going to do the right thing by him and make him one for a very long time."

Beckham's contract negotiations are complicated by the season-ending fractured ankle that he suffered in September. He hasn't spoken to the media since then but is detailing recovery steps on social media.

Cruz endured a devastating injury while at the top of his game. He missed 24 straight games due to a torn patella in 2014 and a variety of leg injuries while trying to come back in 2015.

That experience colors the advice that Cruz -- who had 39 catches and one touchdown in 2016 -- gives to Beckham.

"I speak to him all the time," Cruz said. "He's like a brother to me. He's doing great.

"The only advice I've given to him thus far is, 'No matter what you do, make sure you give that rehab process everything you've got. Make sure you come back 110 percent. Don't step back on that field until then. That's going to be the telltale factor on your success coming back from this injury.'"

Cruz was released by the Giants last February -- a move that saved the team $7.4 million against the salary cap even though he could still contribute -- and by the Bears in September, but he isn't ready to retire. The Paterson native is looking to get into a training camp in 2018.

"I saved it and kept it," Cruz said of his first big pay check. "My mother is of Puerto Rican descent. She wasn't playing around with my money. She wanted to make sure it was all saved and lasts forever. I waited for the first couple checks to mount up before I made any crazy purchases."

Cruz sees big possibilities for Beckham and the other injury-plagued Giants receivers like Sterling Shepard, Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris under Shurmur, who had a top 10 offense as coordinator for the Vikings in 2017.

"I like Pat Shurmur," Cruz said. "Obviously, you look at the success that the Vikings had this year offensively and you've got to like what you see. Granted everybody comes back healthy, with those receivers, I think they can come out and be as high-powered if not more high-powered than what the Vikings were able to and (duplicate) some of that success."

Cruz's breakout success came in 2011, when he led the Giants on an unlikely late-season surge that ended with a touchdown catch in a Super Bowl victory against the Patriots. So he knows the challenge in store for the Eagles during Super Bowl LII better than most.

"You have to understand you are going to be in a fight for 60 minutes," Cruz said. "You can't play for 57 minutes or 49 minutes. As we've seen time and time again, they are playing the entire game as hard as they possibly can and they are never going to give up.

"When you have them down and in a position to take over that game, you have to do it and play the whole game because they are never going to waver."

Cruz was at Super Bowl festivities in Minnesota to promote his partnership with Verizon Innovative Learning on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. In the spirit of the Victor Cruz Foundation, he was part of panel to teach students on STEM jobs in the sports industry and surprised a middle school with a virtual-based mobile learning lab.

"The Verizon mobile learning lab is an amazing station where kids get to learn hands-on what STEM education is all about and how to apply it to what they are doing today," Cruz said.

"We are teaching them that you don't have to be an athlete to learn about STEM or to be involved in a professional organization. There are many jobs within that organization that require you to learn STEM education, understand it and be successful."

Verizon is giving customers a way to join Cruz and support STEM. From February 2-4, Verizon Up customers can redeem a credit for a $10 code to donate to DonorsChoose.org by December 31. Verizon will donate $10 for every code donated, up to $500,000.

Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.

