Giants Sign ILB Jaylon Smith to the Active Roster

Plus, New York elevates two from the practice squad.

Author:
The Giants Maven News Desk
Publish date:
Oct 1, 2022 4:32 PM EDT

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The New York Giants filled their final vacancy on the 53-man roster by signing inside linebacker Jaylon Smith from their practice squad to bolster the depth at inside linebacker.

Smith, 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, spent time on and off the Giants' practice squad last season. Smith, originally a 2016 Cowboys draft pick (No. 34) out of Notre Dame, also played for the Packers before landing with the Giants.

He's appeared in 74 regular-season games with 58 starts and has 330 tackles (21 for loss), ten sacks, two interceptions, 21 passes defensed, 16 quarterback hits, six forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries.

Smith is projected to start in the base defense alongside Tae Crowder against the Bears.

RELATED: Giants 2022 UFA Primer: LB Jaylon Smith

The Giants also have elevated defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux and receiver Marcus Johnson from the practice squad.

This is the second elevation for Mondeaux, 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, who was brought up Monday for the Week 3 game against the Cowboys. He played 29 snaps on defense, giving the Giants some added reinforcement, with Leonard Williams inactive due to an MCL sprain.

Johnson, 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, has played in 41 games with 12 starts for Philadelphia (2017), Indianapolis (2018-2020), and Tennessee (2021).

His career numbers include 51 catches for 839 yards, three touchdowns, and 11 kickoff returns for 216 yards. Before his elevation, the Giants had just four healthy receivers--Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, Richie James, and David Sills V--available for this weekend's game.

New York lost Sterling Shepard to a season-ending torn ACL. This week, they are also without Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) again.