Khalid Kareem didn’t arrive in the Giants’ preseason opener with much fanfare. He came in as a depth edge player. He left having made a real case for more attention.
Against Minnesota, Kareem finished with three tackles, two solo stops and a quarterback hit. That kind of line doesn’t force a roster decision on its own, but it does get a coaching staff to take a second look.
Right now, the Giants’ depth chart has him third at RUSH behind Brian Burns and Chauncey Golston. That’s a hard climb, and nobody is pretending otherwise.
Burns is going to play. Golston has a role.
But the edge group beyond those two is still very much up for grabs, and Kareem did enough in the opener to separate himself from a lot of the names fighting for a spot.
What stands out is that the production wasn’t limited to cleanup work. The quarterback hit showed he wasn’t just piling up late-game tackles. He got into the backfield and made himself felt where it matters most.
Kareem doesn’t need to become a headline player for the Giants to care about him. He just needs to keep proving he can win a snap, hold up against the run and create enough pressure to make the coaches hesitate before leaving him off the active roster.
He’s not about to jump Burns or Golston overnight. But after the first preseason game, the Giants have a reason to keep giving him real reps before they decide how to sort out the bottom of that edge room.
That’s the kind of problem teams want: a player on the fringe who keeps making the answer less obvious. Kareem has more to show, but he earned a place in the conversation.
In Other News...
Giants Move On From Veteran Starter As O-Line Youth Push Continues
The Giants youth movement along the offensive line has now sent another veteran out the door, with Greg Van Roten landing a one-year deal with the Patriots. Van Roten, 36, had been a starter in New York and has spent time with multiple NFL teams, making him a familiar kind of stopgap addition for a club looking for experienced help.
For the Giants, the move fits a broader push to get younger up front and keep building around players who can grow together. For Van Roten, it means another chance to carve out a role, and New England appears to see him as a versatile piece who can help at both guard and center while adding depth to a group that always seems to need it. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Backfield Just Got More Crowded For A Veteran Runner
The Giants have added another name to an already busy backfield, bringing in veteran running back Najee Harris to give the offense more depth at a position that already features Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary and Eric Gray. Harris arrives with plenty of NFL experience and a Pro Bowl nod from his time with the Steelers, giving New York another proven option as it sorts out how the carries will be distributed.
For a team looking to sort through a crowded running back room, the move adds both depth and a little more intrigue. Harris gives the Giants a different body type and rsum to mix into the rotation, and it also leaves the backfield picture looking a bit less settled than it was before the signing. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Receiver Battle
JuJu Smith-Schusters brief run with the Giants ended just as quickly as it began, a sign that the teams receiver competition is still very much in flux. Signed on June 1, Smith-Schuster never made much of an imprint during offseason work and was inactive in a recent game, while Braxton Berrios and Odell Beckham Jr. remain in the mix and are expected to be available for the next one.
The move also comes with a notable roster wrinkle, since the Giants filled the spot by adding running back Najee Harris. Even with Berrios and Beckham still on hand, the decision to move on from Smith-Schuster suggests the Giants are continuing to sort out which pass-catchers fit the plan best as they head into the upcoming game. [Read more 🡒]