Kareem Martin

Martin appeared in just five regular-season contests in 2019 due to a knee injury, during which he notched six tackles (three solo). His release frees up $4.8 million in 2020 cap space for the Giants while leaving $1.2 million in dead money. The 28-year-old will now look to latch on elsewhere in the league.

Martin sustained the knee injury during the season opener but returned to practice in late November and now rejoins the 53-man roster for Week 14. The 27-year-old should serve in a depth role at outside linebacker.

Martin returned to practice Wednesday, kicking off a 21-day window wherein the Giants can evaluate him for activation to the 53-man roster. If he's indeed cleared to retake the field, Martin will stand to play a key role in New York's linebacker corps.

Martin was already expected to have an extended absence, and his placement on injured reserve guarantees he won't return until Week 10 at the earliest. The nature of his injury is still unclear. Tuzar Skipper and Oshane Ximines figure to see an uptick in their snap counts while Martin recovers.