LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Mike Remmers #74 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts on the sideline after the Vikings fumbled the ball during closing minutes of the game against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) According to his agent, the New York Giants have agreed to contract terms with veteran offensive lineman Mike Remmers. This move comes as no surprise, as Remmers visited the New York Giants in March, but left without a contract. At that time, general manager Dave Gettleman indicated that there was still interest by both parties in getting a deal done. At that time, it was stated that Remmers was still undergoing therapy from a recent procedure. The New York Post reports that now Remmers has been medically cleared from minor back surgery. Blue Big further telegraphed this blow, through bypassing immediate offensive line help in the NFL Draft. The team did draft George Asafo-Adjei (Kentucky) in the seventh-round of April’s draft. Asafo-Adjei is seen as more of project and depth player, at least initially. Last year, Gettleman vastly over-estimated his offensive line capabilities by projecting former first-round selection Ereck Flowers as his new right tackle. Then after Flowers under-performed yet again, head coach Pat Shurmur was forced to cast undrafted free agent Chad Wheeler to protect quarterback Eli Manning’s edge. Football evaluation website, Pro Football Focus, attained a 47.4 grade for his work in 2018. That grade ranked the former Southern Cal Trojan 78th among tackles in the NFL. Happy to announce that Mike Remmers just agreed in principle to a deal with the New York Giants and is looking forward to moving back to his natural position of right tackle. His last 2 seasons playing that position he helped his teams to a Super Bowl and a NFC Championship game. — Brett Tessler (@TesslerSports) May 11, 2019 According to Pro Football Reference, Remmers spent the past two season with the Minnesota Vikings, after playing for Gettleman and the Carolina Panthers from 2014 through 2016. He has also spent time in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. The salary evaluation website, Spotrac, reported that Remmers signed a 5-year, $30. million contract with the Vikings on March 10, 2017. He completed just two years of the pact, and now he becomes the latest offensive line solution for the protection needy New York Giants. Remmers was a critical signing by Gettleman and the Giants, but that’s no guarantee that the offensive line woes are cured. With 38-year old quarterback Eli Manning, and star running back Saquon Barkley leading the offense, a rock solid offensive line is imperative.<doc-sep>With much of the New York Giants' offseason and Draft focus being on the revamping of their defense and their future at quarterback, the team's work on their offensive line has been much quieter than it has been in season's past. But after several months of open flirtation, general manager Dave Gettleman is bringing on a familiar face to fill the Giants' most-outstanding position of need. On Saturday, NFL agent Brett Tessler announced that his client, offensive tackle Mike Remmers, has agreed in principle to a deal to join the Giants. Remmers will move back to his natural position at right tackle after playing guard during the 2018 season. Remmers' connection to the Giants has been very well-documented: A former undrafted free agent out of Oregon State in 2012, Remmers bounced around the league for his first two seasons before being signed off the St. Louis Rams' practice squad by Dave Gettleman, then the general manager of the Carolina Panthers, in October of 2014. Late in the season, with the Panthers' offensive line struggling to protect quarterback Cam Newton, Remmers was installed as the starting right tackle, and impressed to the point that he kept the position for Carolina's playoff run and throughout their 15-1 season and run to Super Bowl 50 in 2015. Unfortunately, the Super Bowl would be a low point for Remmers, as he gave up two strip-sacks of Newton that ultimately were the difference in the Panthers' loss to the Denver Broncos. Remmers would play another season for the Panthers, switching to left tackle following an injury to Michael Oher, but was never truly forgiven by the Carolina faithful. He would join the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, and subsequently reached the NFC Championship Game again. However, Remmers was released as a cap casualty following a 2018 season that saw him struggle at guard. Though the Giants were the very first team to host Remmers for a free agent visit in March, they had not been able to come to an agreement in large part because Remmers had still been recovering from offseason back surgery. Still, the move to sign Remmers had been very much expected. "Got to rehab," said Gettleman in his post-Draft press conference. "Going to bring him in and take another look eventually." The signing of Remmers comes just days after Giants offensive line coach Hal Hunter gave a public vote of confidence to Chad Wheeler, a fellow former UDFA who started most of the 2018 season at right tackle. "Right now, Chad is starting off at right tackle and it is up to him to hold that position," said Hunter. "It is up to everyone else to beat him out." The addition of Remmers now gives the Giants another body on an offensive line, which has been re-invented more than a full year after Gettleman inherited the shambles the previous one had been in. Wheeler and Remmers will compete for a starting spot on a line that features Nate Solder at left tackle, promising young star Will Hernandez at left guard, Jon Halapio at center, and trade acquisition Kevin Zeitler at right guard. The Giants also added George Asafo-Adjei, who can play both guard and tackle, in the seventh round of the Draft.<doc-sep>
The Giants have a new right tackle. Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur have a familiar one. The Giants agreed to terms with veteran Mike Remmers, his agent announced on Twitter on Saturday, finalizing a long courtship that began in March when the 30-year-old was released by the Vikings. Remmers played in Minnesota when Shurmur was the offensive coordinator there and in Carolina before that when Gettleman was the general manager there. Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula also held the same position with the Panthers during Remmer's time in Carolina. Remmers’ recovery from offseason back surgery held up the agreement until he was well enough to pass a physical. Remmers started every game last season at right guard for the Vikings, but his agent noted that he will be returning to his “natural position” at right tackle. That will give the Giants a completely revamped offensive line from the one that ended the 2017 season. The projected starting five at this point appears to be Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Jon Halapio, Kevin Zeitler and Remmers. The Giants had Chad Wheeler penciled in as their right tackle prior to this move. Wheeler and seventh-round draft pick George Asafo-Adjei likely will battle for the backup swing tackle job in training camp. Remmers was signed by Gettleman and the Panthers off the Rams' practice squad in October 2014. He went on to start 37 regular-season games for the Panthers (24 at right tackle, 13 at left tackle) and was the right tackle on the team that reached Super Bowl 50, though he allowed two key strip-sacks to Broncos edge rusher and eventual Super Bowl MVP Von Miller. Subscribe to Sports Now newsletter By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Remmers signed a five-year deal with the Vikings before the 2017 season. A concussion and a lower back injury limited Remmers to 11 starts at right tackle for the Vikings that year as they reached the NFC Championship game.