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In the words of their very own sack-leader, Kyler Fackrell, the New York Giants are “a little thin at outside backer right now.”
With Oshane Ximinies still working his way back from a shoulder injury and Lorenzo Carter finished for the year, Fackrell is joined by veteran Markus Golden as the only current active Giants outside linebackers to play a single defensive snap this season.
In other words, New York could certainly use some proven depth, and it appears they found some, adding yet another former Miami Dolphins defender to the fold.
Giants Activate Trent Harris, Who has History With Judge & Graham
The Giants signed outside linebacker Trent Harris to their practice squad this week. On Saturday, the 25-year-old got the call up to Big Blue’s active roster.
Harris spent last season in Miami playing under then-defensive coordinator Patrick Graham with the Dolphins. The 6-foot-2-inch, 255-pound edge defender flashed once thrust into Miami’s starting lineup towards the latter end of last year. All of Harris’ sacks (1.5) from 2019, came over the final two games of the season. Overall, Harris appeared in 11 games (3 starts) with the Dolphins, collecting 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, two QB hits and 1.5 sacks on 253 defensive snaps.
SI’s Nick Falato recently highlighted some of Harris’ ability on Twitter. Falato shared this clip of Harris’ Week 17 sack of Tom Brady last season, exhibiting solid bend and burst off the edge:
Harris, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Miami (FL) in 2018, spent the entirety of his rookie campaign on the New England Patriots’ practice squad, working alongside current Giants head coach Joe Judge, who served as the team’s special teams coordinator at the time.
The Patriots went on to knock off the Los Angles Rams in Super Bowl LIII that season, and despite Harris’ placement on the practice squad, the linebacker got to bring home a ring. While he failed to log a single regular-season snap during his lone year in Foxborough, Harris did put forth an impressive preseason campaign, collecting 2.5 sacks, 10 tackles and one forced fumble in four exhibition games.
The Harris addition comes on the heels of the aforementioned Lorenzo Carter undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a ruptured Achilles.
In less than a week, Harris has worked his way from practice squad occupant to gameday roster. Don’t be surprised to see that trend continue as he makes his way up New York’s depth chart. If coach Graham has shown anything during his inaugural season with the Giants it’s that he will continuously opt for familiarity over draft status, especially if that drafted player doesn’t fit his scheme.
Two of Harris’ former teammates in Miami are prime examples of this thinking, as safety Adrian Colbert and cornerback Ryan Lewis, have each unseated Julian Love and Corey Ballentine, respectively, in recent weeks.
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Giants Poking Around the Pass-Rusher Market
Harris isn’t the only edge defender the Giants have eyed in recent days. When Harris was undergoing his COVID-19 testing protocol last Friday, he was joined by the likes of rookie linebacker Kendall Coleman, per North Jersey Media Group’s Art Stapleton.
Coleman, an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse in this past April’s NFL Draft, failed to latch on with the Indianapolis Colts earlier this summer.
Over his collegiate career, Coleman started 43 of 44 games finishing with 137 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks.
While a Coleman signing doesn’t appear to be imminent at this time, don’t be surprised to see New York add him to the mix in the near future.
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