EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur reached into their recent past to find the player who many believe will become their final starting offensive lineman.
Mike Remmers, who has started all 71 regular-season and postseason games in which he played the previous five seasons, has signed with the Giants, the team announced today. He is the favorite to open the 2019 season as first-team right tackle.
Remmers, 6-5 and 310 pounds, spent the previous two years with the Minnesota Vikings, for whom he started all 16 games last season at right guard. The previous season, when Shurmur was named the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year as the Vikings' offensive coordinator, Remmers played three different positions; he started 10 games at right tackle before switching to right guard in the regular-season finale, before starting his only two games at left guard in the postseason, including the NFC Championship Game.
Before moving to Minnesota, Remmers played three seasons for the Carolina Panthers when Gettleman was the team's general manager. He started all 42 games in which he appeared for Carolina, including Super Bowl 50, and twice played in every game.
Remmers, 30, entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Denver in 2012. After a stint on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, Remmers joined the San Diego Chargers on Oct. 9, 2013. He played in one game that season, the only contest in his career in which he did not start.
Remmers was acquired off waivers by Minnesota on Nov. 25, 2013. After spending time on the practice squads of the Vikings and the Rams, he was signed by the Panthers on Oct. 28, 2014. Remmers started the season's final seven games, including two in the postseason, before starting every game for Carolina in 2015-16. He signed as a free agent with the Vikings on March 10, 2017.
The breakdown of Remmers' 64 regular-season starts include 34 at right tackle, 17 at right guard, and 13 at left guard. In the postseason, he has five starts at right tackle and two at left guard.
Remmers is the second veteran offensive lineman acquired by the Giants this offseason. Right guard Kevin Zeitler arrived via trade from the Cleveland Browns.
Zeitler and Remmers are expected to line up next to each other on the right side, though Chad Wheeler will compete to keep the tackle job he held for the season's final 14 games last year. They will team with left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez and either Jon Halapio or Spencer Pulley at center on an offensive line that has been completely re-staffed since Gettleman was hired less than 17 months ago.
*The Giants also signed defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun, who attended the team's recent rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. Akinmoladun, a 6-3 and 283-pounder from Nebraska, started all 37 games at defensive end from 2016-18. He finished his Husker career with 106 tackles and 12 sacks.
*The Giants waived kicker Joey Slye of Virginia Tech, whom they signed last week after the rookie minicamp.
*The Giants waived/injured rookie defensive back Jacob Thienemen, who hurt his knee in the rookie minicamp. Thienemen, from Purdue, was signed on May 2.
View photos of new Giants offensive lineman Mike Remmers.
Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Mike Remmers (74) pass blocks during an NFC Divisional Playoff game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minn. The Vikings won the game, 29-24. (Greg Trott via AP)
Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Mike Remmers (74) during an NFL regular season football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won the game, 24-10. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) celebrates with offensive tackle Mike Remmers (74) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018 in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 24-16. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O'Neill (75) and Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Mike Remmers (74) in a offensive group huddle during an NFL regular season football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won the game, 24-10. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Mike Remmers (74) makes a move to block on the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Philadelphia. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Mike Remmers (74) on the field during warm up prior to an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Philadelphia. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) runs after the ball carrier as Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Mike Remmers (74) blocks during an NFL football game on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 in Los Angeles. Los Angeles won 38-31. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Mike Remmers (74) walks through the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Lucas Stevenson via AP)
Minnesota Vikings guard Mike Remmers (74) blocks during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, Philadelphia. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 23-21. (Al Tielemans via AP)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) is introduced during player introductions prior to an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 in Charlotte, NC. The Panthers defeated the 49ers 46-27. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74)is introduced before the NFC Championship football game against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, January 24, 2016. The Panthers won 49-15 and advance to Super Bowl 50. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Carolina Panthers' Mike Remmers (74) celebrates his team's 15-1 regular season record following an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. The Panthers won 38-10. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) runs onto the field before the start of a NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game Jan. 1, 2017 in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers won 17 - 16. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) is seen in action during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 in Tampa, Fla. The Panthers won 37-23. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) runs onto the field before an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams on November 6, 2016. The Panthers defeated the Rams 13-10. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Carolina Panthers' Mike Remmers (74) blocks Houston Texans' J.J. Watt (99) during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015. The Panthers won 24-17. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) cheers with Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) before the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Carolina Panthers tackle Mike Remmers (74) sets to block against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL football game Sept. 18, 2016 in Charlotte, N. C. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) throws a pass as tackle Mike Remmers (60) blocks Washington Redskins outside linebacker Rob Jackson (50), left, during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Oregon State right tackle Mike Remmers (50) signals to Oregon State fans as he enters Martin Stadium with fellow linemen Grant Johnson (70), Michael Philipp (77) and Geoff Garner (62) before the start of an NCAA college football game against Washington State in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Dean Hare)
Oregon State's Mike Remmers (50) celebrates with fans after beating Arizona in an NCAA college football game at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. Oregon State won, 29 -27. (AP Photo/Wily Low)
