New York Giants release longtime DE Mathias Kiwanuka

The New York Giants released nine-year veteran DE Mathias Kiwanuka on Tuesday, freeing up cap space.

Longtime New York Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka has been released by the team, as reported by several sources including Bleacher Report.

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Though not drafted until pick No. 32 (last of the first round) by the Giants in the 2006 NFL draft, Kiwanuka was considered by many draft analysts as a great prospect at the time, out of Boston College.

Kiwanuka, originally pegged by the Giants as an outside linebacker in their 4-3 defense, similar to Brian Orakpo’s role in his early days with the Washington Redskins, mostly lived up to his 32^nd overall draft selection.

In his nine seasons, he rotated back and forth between strongside linebacker, weakside linebacker and defensive end. He recorded 38.5 sacks, three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 13 forced fumbles.

He was less effective in six postseason games, recording just half a sack, but was an integral part of the Giants’ two Super Bowl titles under Tom Coughlin.

The move costs the Giants $2.63 million against their 2015 salary cap, but ultimately saves them $4,775,000, giving them an estimated $25 million in cap space going into the free agency period, assuming the 2015 cap is the expected $142 million.

The news was confirmed by Kimberly Jones and Ralph Vacciano of the New York Daily News.

Kiwanuka is now 32-years-old, so the release is not promising for his career, but he figures to still be a player with something to offer a team needing help along the defensive line. At 6’5”, 260 pounds, he projects as a versatile player for another defense.

He can likely play in a 3-4 if asked, but his best fit would seem to be another 4-3 defense. He actually seems like the perfect fit for the Patriots, who interchange between 4-3 and 3-4 and love versatile players who can perform a multitude of different roles.

Not speaking so much of Bill Belichick’s personality, and likely desire to get some revenge on the franchise which has cost him two Super Bowl titles, but thinking simply of the way the mastermind loves to find players like Kiwanuka and remake them in his image, it would be far from surprising to see Kiwanuka land in New England at a cost-effective price.

Kiwanuka will almost certainly not approach the roughly $7 million he would have made in 2015, but is likely to be signed for about the $2.63 million he will be costing the Giants in 2015 to not play for them.

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