Giants to re-sign defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka
Published: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 12:55 PM Updated: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 1:26 PM
Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger By Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger

When Twitter exploded a few years ago, Justin Tuck said he would never have an account.

Now, he does. And not only is he tweeting, he's breaking news of Mathias Kiwanuka's re-signing with the Giants.

Tuck wrote on his Twitter account, "Kiwi is returning to the big blue. Yes sir," meaning his fellow defensive end has agreed to terms on a new contract. Someone informed of the transaction confirmed Kiwanuka is back in blue. The person requested anonymity because the signing isn't yet official.

Terms of the deal are not yet available. Kiwanuka's agents were not immediately available for comment.

The re-signing of Kiwanuka figured to be bad news for Osi Umenyiora in his quest for a new contract. If Kiwanuka had signed elsewhere, Umenyiora would have had more leverage to demand a renegotiation - not that the Giants would necessarily honor that request. As it stands now, the team has three capable pass rushers in Tuck, Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre-Paul.

Kiwanuka, 28, was off to a terrific start last year when he recorded four sacks in the team's first three games. But that's where his season would end, as he was diagnosed with a herniated disc in his neck. The team held out hope the disc would subside, but in the end decided to place him on injured reserve.

Kiwanuka was cleared to return to football activities in February, and the Giants were obviously pleased with the news they received from doctors.

Early word is a 2 year deal.



Osi Holdout advantage Giants.

Hate to say it but I think Osi is done as a Giant.

Pizan wrote:Early word is a 2 year deal.

If so then the Giants docs must feel real good about Kiwis neck

sounds like a great move

This is the key move that needed to happen before any trade of Osi is realistic

except from an article from

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/07/for_giants_osi_umenyiora_is_at.html

nothing exceptional, but some good points

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Only one Giants defensive end got a contract since the end of the lockout and it wasn’t Umenyiora. It was Kiwanuka, who was telling friends today he received a two-year deal from the Giants. Financial terms weren’t available but indications were the Giants protected themselves from the neck injury that cut his 2010 season short by making the contract an incentive-laden one.

Signing Kiwanuka means the Giants gained a bit of leverage should Umenyiora demand a trade, ask for a new deal or simply hold out. He has two years left on his contract at $3.125 million and $3.975 million but has made it clear he wants a new deal, and the six-year, $72 million contract the Panthers gave Charles Johnson earlier this week surely caught his attention as well.

If Osi demands a contract like Johnson then he should be traded. I love the guy but we can't give that kind of money and still be a good team.

uzi716 wrote:If Osi demands a contract like Johnson then he should be traded. I love the guy but we can't give that kind of money and still be a good team.

Osi wants to be paid and lets be honest he is a stud pass rusher and he has done what we asked him in recent years.

It isnt even about what we should pay him anymore. The Panthers have set the market, that is elite DEs will be looking at as the benchmark for new deals and Osi is the best DE available this offseason.

Right or wrong Osi will want and get a contract in that kind of ball park. I have no gripe against him, it is business and he wants the deal that sets him and his family up for life.

How often to DEs under 30 with 60 sacks hit the open market? They just dont.

I am 90% sure Osi will be traded, most likely tomorrow or Saturday. It all depends on what we can get, but teams are very interested.
The Ravens and Falcons are well known but don't discount the Patriots, Buccanneers or Seahwaks; even the Cardinals or Bengals could be in play.

You said it best.

My ideal return is either a pro bowl linebacker or a 1st round pick+

uzi716 wrote:You said it best.

My ideal return is either a pro bowl linebacker or a 1st round pick+

Not likely to get either imho,
but I could see guys like Aaron Curry, Keith Rivers or Sean Weatherspoon.
These are young guys with great potential and ability who haven't set the world on fire yet.

or a second tier guy with ability like a David Hawthorne or Dan Connor and a 2nd/3rd draft pick

If the Pats make a deal then a first round pick is in play imho