Kevin Zeitler pens farewell to NY Giants, after being cap casualty

New York Giants guard Kevin Zeitler (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
New York Giants guard Kevin Zeitler (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports) /
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Kevin Zeitler was released by the NY Giants Wednesday to free up much-needed cap space

The NY Giants released Kevin Zeitler Wednesday, and on Thursday the veteran offensive guard penned an emotional farewell to his former team.

“Thank you to the Giants organization and the fans,” Zeitler tweeted. “I really enjoyed my two years in NYC. I’m excited to get to work with my next team. #Onceagiant”

Zeitler was referring to the NY Giants’ famous “once a Giant, always a Giant” moniker with the hashtag at the end of his tweet.

A class act and consummate veteran leader, Zeitler will be a strong culture and schematic fit for any NFL team aiming to upgrade the interior of its offensive line.

The NY Giants’ decision to move on from Zeitler was clearly financially motivated, as the 31-year-old was set to count $14 million against the cap in 2021, which is set at just $183.5 million, a sharp decline from recent seasons.

Look for guard-needy teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals to be in the mix for Zeitler, who is free to sign with any team because he was released prior to the new league-year beginning.

Releasing Zeitler freed up $12 million in cap space for the NY Giants, who will now aim to replace him along an offensive line that continues to be in the midst of a long-term rebuild.

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Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.