Markus

Kuhn

A feisty interior defensive linemen, Kuhn has a high motor but limited from a skills standpoint. An underrated athlete, at the Combine he ran a 4.89 forty with 28 bench press reps and a 34.5-inch vertical jump. With only one year of actual playing time, Kuhn registered four and a half sacks and nine tackles for loss. He’ll have to disrupt and penetrate from the inside to get on the field.

Kuhn cut himself on a knife that was sticking out of a box while helping a friend move. The 26-year-old German native recently became the third European-trained player drafted by an NFL team.

Kuhn switched from outside linebacker and defensive end to defensive tackle as a senior at N.C. State, posting a career-high 50 tackles and 4.5 sacks. An above average athlete, Kuhn is still new to the game as a 26-year-old native German. He’ll have his hands full vying for a roster spot on perhaps the game’s deepest defensive line.

Kuhn played college ball at NC State, but isn’t an American citizen. “This just takes a little bit with bureaucracy,” Kuhn said. “It should come in any day, but until then we have to wait because I can’t work.” Kuhn is allowed to participate in the classroom portions of practice. He should have his visa long before camp.

He’s been placed on injured reserve. Kuhn got his knee twisted the wrong way during Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. The seventh-round rookie had been valuable depth in the interior as the Giants dealt with injuries to Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Marvin Austin. Kuhn’s season ends with eight tackles in 10 games.

That, of course, would knock the seventh-round pick out for the season. A German-born NC State grad, Kuhn will turn 27 in May, and will be up against it to be ready in time for camp. A rotational lineman, his 2013 roster spot is far from assured. Kuhn will finish the season with eight tackles and zero sacks in fewer than 200 snaps.

The seventh-round pick was carted to the locker room for X-rays. A rotational lineman, Kuhn played 166 snaps through the Giants’ first nine games.

Pierre-Paul resumed a running program last week after an “outstanding” week of rehab, so it appears his chances of suiting up for Week 1 are increasing. Kuhn tore his ACL in November. The Giants take on the Cowboys in 23 days.

Kuhn is still working his way back from last November’s torn ACL. He’ll miss at least the first six weeks of the season. Kuhn is purely a depth player.

He’ll take the roster spot of reserve DT Shaun Rogers, who was placed on injured reserve Thursday. Kuhn appeared in 10 games as a seventh-round rookie last season before tearing his ACL.