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Giants cut ties with team captain in surprising move

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Mar 4, 2026 12:01 AM ET

The New York Giants are parting ways with a key piece of their 2025 roster.

The Giants on Tuesday informed linebacker Bobby Okereke that the team was set to release him, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz. Okereke was one of the team’s five team captains last season and also the franchise’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club awardee.

Sources: The #Giants have informed LB and defensive captain Bobby Okereke that he will be released.

The team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year amassed 385 tackles in 3 seasons with the Giants (143 last season), but now will get a head start on free agency. Okereke was entering… pic.twitter.com/xAPk7jqEmf
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 4, 2026

The Giants linebacker was slated to make $9 million next season, entering the final year of his 4-year, $40 million contract. Instead, the Giants cut ties with Okereke to give themselves more wiggle room ahead of the free agency period.

The move is surprising on the surface, given that Okereke led the Giants in both combined tackles (143) and solo tackles (78) by a wide margin. The numbers, however, didn’t tell the whole story, as PFF graded Okereke as a subpar run stopper and about average in coverage and in rushing the passer last season.

Schultz added that the 29-year-old Okereke is expected to have a strong market for his services, both as a player and as a veteran voice in the locker room.

The Giants hold the fifth overall pick in the draft next April, which the team could use to add Okereke’s replacement. Several mock drafts have New York taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles once the team is on the clock.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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