Mathias Kiwanuka has his money, having signed a three-year extension worth $21.75 million, with $10.95 million of it guaranteed. He understands what Osi Umenyiora is going through as the disgruntled defensive end continues to stay away from the Giants as he pines for a new deal.
“His situation, it is what it is. He’s been under a contract and a bad deal for years now,’’ Kiwanuka said Wednesday after an OTA practice. “Anybody who looks at the situation would say this should have been taken care of a long time ago. For whatever reason it hasn’t, so I understand his frustration.’’
Umenyiora last month did what players usually steer clear of doing, bringing up Kiwanuka’s new deal when reminding everyone of his unfulfilled desire to get what he believes he’s earned.
Umenyiora did not take kindly to Giants general manager Jerry Reese following the NFL Draft saying, “Osi has been offered an extension two years in a row now’’ as if to imply the Giants are interested in a long-term commitment to their disgruntled defensive end and Umeniora’s demands are simply too high.
“Yes, they offered an extension this year,’’ Umenyiora back in April wrote in an email to The Post. “Guaranteeing half of what [Mathias Kiwanuka] was guaranteed. So [Reese] telling you guys they offered an extension is technically the truth. And I’m very greedy for turning down half of what Kiwi just got. Lol.’’
Kiwanuka read those comments carefully.
“I looked at what he said, there was nothing that he said that was outright disrespectful,’’ Kiwanuka said. “I mean Osi and me, we have a relationship. I know that if something came up I felt was out of line, I’d have called him up and we’d have handled it, but I didn’t think there was anything that went that far.
“I know that it wasn’t a slight at me. I know he’s just trying to get his point across.’’
Kiwanuka said he is convinced Umenyiora is trapped in a “bad deal’’ that leaves him vastly underpaid.
“If he was signed to a deal that was twice that and he performed half of what he is he’d have been cut by now, that’s just the reality of this game,’’ Kiwanuka said. “The fact he signed to a lower, average-salary deal and he’s playing at a high level, 10-plus sacks every year, the fact that nothing has been done with it, it’s an obvious issue. It would be an issue for anyone of us out here. “I understand his frustration,’’ Kiwanuka said, “but there’s nothing I can do about it.’’
paul.schwartz@nypost.com