The New York Giants released veteran defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka on Tuesday in a move that clears about $4.8 million on space under the NFL salary cap.
The NFL Players Association estimates the new salary cap will rise to $143 million. Cutting Kiwanuka’s contract, which had a year to run at $4.775 million, increased the Giants’ cap space to nearly $23 million.
A big chunk of the total will likely go to either signing unrestricted defensive end Jason Pierre Paul to a long-term deal or placing the nearly $15 million franchise tag on him.
Kiwanuka’s release was expected since he’s been injury-prone and ineffective the past few seasons. He took a pay cut last year from $4 million to $2.25 million to stay with the team, which finished 6-10.
The Giants’ first-round pick in 2006 spent the final five games this past season on injured reserve with a knee injury, finishing with 28 tackles and 2½ sacks. He played through numerous aches and pains in the three seasons since a severe neck injury limited him to three games in 2010.
He started games at both defensive end and linebacker over his nine-year career. Kiwanuka played in 120 games with 82 starts. He is ninth on the Giants’ sack list with 38½.
Additional reporting from ESPN