The New York Giants had the NFL’s worst off-ball linebackers in 2025.
In 2026, don’t expect anyone on the roster to have any leeway when it comes to poor play.
Do expect a churn-and-burn signing philosophy that might end up giving a lot of people shots at establishing themselves next to rookie 1st-round pick Arvell Reese.
“Free agent LB Malik Harrison is signing with the Giants‘ practice squad with the goal to contribute early, per sources,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Thursday. “The seven-year vet, released by Pittsburgh on Sunday, has 215 career tackles and 43 starts.”
“Giants are signing former Ravens and Steelers linebacker Malik Harrison to the practice squad, per source,” USA Today’s Art Stapleton wrote on his official X account on Thursday.
Malik Harrison Quickly Became Fixture With Ravens
Harrison was a 3rd-round pick (No. 98 overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft after earning All-Big Ten honors at Ohio State in 2019.
He played in all 16 regular-season games as a rookie, including 6 starts, and missed 3 games in 2021 after he was shot in the leg outside a Cleveland nightclub in November 2021. Harrison started 8 games each in 2022 and 2023, and made 7 starts in 2024 before leaving for a free-agent deal with the Steelers.
Harrison, 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, signed a 2-year, $10 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2025 season. In his lone season in Pittsburgh, he played in 11 games with 9 starts.
Harrison Also Valuable Special Teams Asset
Harrison can truly help the Giants by adding inside linebacker depth behind Tremaine Edmunds and Reese, as well as on special teams, where he’s been invaluable throughout his career. In his 1st 5 seasons, Harrison was on the field for an average of 76.9 percent of special-teams snaps with the Ravens.
“The Steelers owed Malik Harrison $4.75 million in salary this season after signing him to a two-year, $10 million deal in free agency last year,” Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo wrote on X. “He didn’t play at all on defense in the final two preseason games.”
New York Giants Sign $10 Million Former Steelers Starter