Victor Cruz came out of nowhere to be a hit for the New York Giants this past season and as he prepares to follow up that breakout performance, he’s not letting a contract situation deter him.

Cruz, who set a franchise record with 1,563 receiving yards in 2011, is signed for the budget base salary of $540,000. He’s a star that has come out of nowhere and like everyone else, he’s like to be paid.

But that doesn’t mean he’s going to turn it into an issue. A holdout maybe?

“That’s not in my vocabulary," said Cruz, according to Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger.

“I don’t even know what that means,” added Cruz, who modeled the new Giants’ uniform at the NFL’s unveiling celebration with Nike today.

“I’m not frustrated at all. I’m just trying to go in there and play football,” Cruz said. “When I was young it wasn’t about money, it wasn’t about fame and fortune. It was just about playing football. So regardless of how short-term this career can be, I just want to go out there and play. All of that stuff will take care of itself.

“You just gotta remain humble and remain yourself and understand that all the good things are going to come to you in time. So you just have to keep doing what you’re doing, remain positive at all times and the good things will come.”

He’s taking the right approach. We’ll see at what point the Giants want to take a look at his situation. They may want him to perform for another year or two before they pony up big bucks. That’s what happens with late-round draft picks who flourish. A former undrafted free agent, Cruz’s case isn’t that much different.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune