For three years, linebacker Bobby Okereke was a staple of the New York Giants' defense. The veteran was a team captain from the time he arrived in East Rutherford. He logged 46 starts and over 350 tackles for the G-Men. But after a brutal season in which Big Blue fielded one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL, it was clearly time to move on.
The Giants released Okereke as one of their first moves under the John Harbaugh regime. He went months without a team, raising questions about whether an early retirement was on the horizon for the 30-year-old.
Just two weeks from their season opener, the Carolina Panthers gave Okereke a chance, signing him to a one-year deal. By the time their Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears came, he was starting at inside linebacker. While Carolina gave up 59 points in their loss, Okereke was one of the only Panthers defenders with a decent showing against the Bears.
Still, the Giants are just fine without him.
Bobby Okereke's Panthers debut shouldn't leave Giants with any regrets
Okereke logged 66 defensive snaps and made six tackles, including a tackle for loss. He was effective as a pass rusher, too, producing one pressure on four pass-rush attempts.
Nobody's going to look like an All-Pro on a defense giving up 59 points, but Okereke was at least passable after being without a team a few weeks ago.
The Giants won't miss him, though. With Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds in place, New York is more than okay at linebacker.
Edmunds and Reese were the only off-ball linebackers to log defensive snaps in the Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. They helped limit what was expected to be an electric Dallas offense to just 20 points and minimal rushing efficiency.
While Reese got caught napping on a Javonte Williams touchdown, he was exceptional for a rookie for the rest of the game.
Big Blue has a linebacker duo that it can lean on for the first time in years. Both standing at six-foot-four, Edmunds and Reese present impossible problems for opposing offenses. They can both fly around the field and make plays from sideline to sideline.
As the rookie develops, he could become one of the most dominant linebackers in the sport. The Giants were desperate for a change at linebacker after how bleak the outlook was at the position in 2025, and they couldn't be happier with the Week 1 returns.
Okereke can continue to resurrect his career with the Panthers. We hope he does. Even without him in the picture, the Giants have dramatically improved their linebacker duo.
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