The New York Giants are once again fighting the war of attrition. Already thin at linebacker, the unit took another blow with Micah McFadden ruled out for the next few months and second-year draft pick Darius Muasau entering concussion protocol. The losses have forced the front office into emergency mode, reshuffling the depth chart in hopes of finding stability in the middle of the defense.
Neville Hewitt added for veteran insurance
On Tuesday, the Giants signed veteran linebacker Neville Hewitt to the practice squad. Hewitt, 31, has bounced around the league since breaking in with the Miami Dolphins in 2015, carving out a role as a dependable depth piece and special teams contributor. His presence doesn’t solve New York’s problems outright, but it gives them a player with experience to lean on if the injuries linger deeper into the season.
Hewitt has logged over 100 career games, starting stretches with both the Jets and Texans. At this stage of his career, he’s not expected to be a defensive centerpiece, but his knowledge of NFL systems could help stabilize a group in flux.
Swayze Bozeman gets his shot
Another intriguing move was elevating Swayze Bozeman to the active roster. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound linebacker went undrafted out of Southern Miss in 2023 and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. His NFL experience is limited—just seven defensive snaps, though he managed to record three tackles in that short stint.
Bozeman spent the preseason with the Chicago Bears, where his play was uneven over 43 snaps. The Giants aren’t expecting him to transform the defense overnight, but with the roster stretched thin, they’re banking on his athleticism and motor to translate into meaningful snaps. For now, he projects as a depth linebacker who will see most of his action on special teams.
Adjustments on the horizon
The Giants’ linebacker shuffle doesn’t end with Hewitt and Bozeman. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will likely lean on Abdul Carter in more versatile roles, occasionally sliding him inside to help cover the void. That adjustment would allow the Giants to get Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns on the field together, maximizing their pass-rush potential while patching holes in the middle.
It’s a reminder of just how delicate the balance of roster construction can be in the NFL. Losing one starter like McFadden, a player who had grown into a reliable presence, forces the defense to shift multiple pieces at once.
A defense under pressure
The Giants built their offseason strategy around constructing one of the league’s most formidable front sevens. With Lawrence clogging the middle and edge rushers in Burns and Thibodeaux, the unit was supposed to anchor the team through the early part of the season. Now, the linebacker depth chart looks far more fragile, and every snap carries greater weight.
McFadden’s injury isn’t season-ending, which offers some hope, but the Giants will need to weather a long stretch without him. In the meantime, it will take a mix of veteran stopgaps, young players getting thrown into the fire, and creative schematics to keep the defense from unraveling.