The New York Giants promised a move to aid the defense and followed through by bringing in a veteran starter ahead of Sunday’s primetime season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
“Veteran DL Dean Lowry plans to sign with the Giants practice squad, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Monday morning. “Lowry enters his 10th NFL season, has 16.5 sacks and 271 tackles.”
“The Giants have signed veteran DL Dean Lowry to their practice squad,” Giants reporter Doug Rush wrote on his official X account. “Lowry is a former 4th round pick of the Packers from the 2016 NFL Draft who spent 7 seasons in Green Bay from 2016-2022. Lowry also played for the Vikings in 2023 and the Steelers from 2024-2025. Lowry missed all of the 2025 season due to an ACL tear suffered in training camp. Lowry was cut by the Steelers during final cutdowns 2 weeks ago.”
Lowry, 6-foot-6 and 296 pounds, has approximately $36.6 million in career earnings through the start of the 2026 season.
“The veteran defensive lineman that Joe Schoen said would sign this week,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote on his official X account on Monday. “Dean Lowry was most recently with the Steelers. Missed last season with a torn ACL.”
Quickly Became Full-Time Starter for Packers
Lowry, 32, was an All-Big Ten pick at Northwestern in 2015 and became a full-time starter for the Green Bay Packers in his 2nd season in 2017, and started every regular-season game from 2019 to 2021, including a career-high 5.0 sacks in 2021.
Injuries have been an issue later in his career. After signing a 2-year free-agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings before the 2023 season, Lowry only played 9 games before being placed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.
Giants Look for Answers on Interior Defensive Line
The Giants enter 2026 looking for a new identity on the interior defensive line after trading away perennial All-Pro Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for Cincy’s 2026 1st-round pick.
The defense was dealt a blow thanks to an offseason injury to 17-game starter Roy Robertson-Harris, who tore his Achilles tendon, but signed free agent D.J. Reader to help steer the ship.
Giants Sign $36 Million Former 17-Game Starter to Help Defense