Mathias Kiwanuka, a key member of the New York Giants defensive unit, has reportedly signed a contract extension thru the 2015 season with the team.
Kiwanuka, who plays both defensive end and linebacker for the Giants, could have become a free agent following the 2012 season.
Drafted in the first round by the Giants in 2006, Kiwanuka has 27 sacks in six season for New York. In 2011 he had 3.5 sacks and 85 tackles while splitting time as a linebacker and occasional pass-rushing defensive end. Kiwanuka missed most of the 2010 season with a neck injury that was thought at the time to be career-threatening.
Where Kiwanuka will play in the Giants’ 2012 defensive scheme is not yet known. The Giants have a plethora of linebackers, and could be short of defensive ends — particularly if they trade the often-disgruntled Osi Umenyiora before the end of the ongoing NFL Draft.