Romeo Okwara, who joined the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2016, was waived in favor of former third-round pick John Jenkins.
The New York Giants purged another veteran from their roster on Tuesday, waiving defensive lineman/linebacker Romeo Okwara. The team confirmed not only Okwara’s release but, the addition of another defensive lineman, tackle John Jenkins, to take his roster spot.
#NYGiants sign DT tackle John Jenkins; waive DE Romeo Okwara, presented by @primepoint.
Read: https://t.co/Q1kTPWsqsg pic.twitter.com/025fBLxouR
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 4, 2018
Okwara, a Notre Dame alum, joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2016. After a strong summer, where he tallied 10 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble in four preseason games, Okwara earned himself a roster spot. When starting defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul went down with an injury late in the season, Okwara took over his role and made a national name for himself, taking over a nationally televised December matchup against the division-leading Dallas Cowboys. He picked up eight tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in what became a 10-7 Giants victory, one of three regular-season losses the Cowboys suffered that season.
Okwara would later pick up a sack in the Giants’ wild-card playoff appearance against the Green Bay Packers.
Last season was plagued by a knee, which limited Okwara to six games. He ends his Giants career with 28 tackles in the regular season and two pass deflections. In the 2018 preseason, he tallied six tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
In his place is Jenkins, entering his sixth season out of Georgia. He most recently spent time with the Chicago Bears, picking up eight tackles in eight games, including one start. Though he was re-signed to a one-year deal in April, Jenkins was part of the Bears’ roster cuts this weekend, picking up six tackles and half a sack over the preseason quartet.
Jenkins entered the league as a third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2013. Released by the Saints in November 2016, he concluded that season with the Seattle Seahawks before joining up with the Bears.
I want to thank the @ChicagoBears fans and organization for my time in the family. Today I begin a new chapter with the #BigBlue nation & happy to announce my signing with @Giants !! pic.twitter.com/R4OV250ErE
— John Jenkins (@jenkinsjohn6) September 4, 2018
Jenkins becomes the second defensive lineman added to the Giants’ roster after roster cuts this week, with former Oakland Raiders end Mario Edwards Jr. claimed on Sunday.
The Giants open their season on Sunday afternoon against the Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 p.m. ET, FOX).
