New York Giants: Kevin Zeitler lands in Baltimore following release

Free agency is underway, and New York Giants fans are already seeing familiar players leaving and joining other teams. In the case of Kevin Zeitler, he wasn’t due for a new contract but the team made the choice to let him walk anyway by releasing him due to salary cap concerns. While it looks like the Giants are restructuring Nate Solder’s deal, they weren’t able to come to the same terms with Zeitler and the guard is moving on to another team because of it.

That team will be the Baltimore Ravens, as we’re finding out now. Zeitler is the first signing Baltimore is making in free agency this year and it’s obvious why – with Lamar Jackson being one of the top QBs in the league, they need talent to protect him.

Zeitler was a starter in all but one game for the Giants after making the move from the Browns in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. During that time span, many considered him the best offensive lineman the Giants had. It still remains to be seen who the Giants intend to replace him with, as the in-house option Will Hernandez has largely fallen out of favor in the current system.

Allowing Zeitler to leave, however, will clear up cap space for the Giants and allow them to bring in other players at a time when that’s needed, especially in combination with other cap saving moves such as restructuring Nate Solder’s deal and letting Dalvin Tomlinson walk in free agency.