New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (87) and safety Nate Ebner (43) hug as the Giants defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 23-19, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, January 3, 2021, in East Rutherford. — Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

New York Giants Re-sign Defensive Back Nate Ebner

The former New England special teams ace is back for a second go-round with the Giants.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Sep 7, 2021 6:39 PM EDT

New York Giants head coach Joe Judge rarely makes it a point to speak about players who aren't officially on the team's roster. Still, in the case of safety/special teamer Nate Ebner, the head coach made an exception when he twice confirmed the team's intention to re-sign the free agent.

Sure enough, Ebner is back in the fold, having signed with the Giants following his passing of a team physical, the team announced.

Ebner, who spent the off-season rehabbing from a procedure for an undisclosed ailment, had eyed a spot on the U.S. Men's Rugby Olympics team earlier this year but had to withdraw when his rehab wasn't far enough along to allow for him to continue training.

Ebner, a special teams ace for Judge when the two were in New England, followed Judge to the Giants last year. He finished the season with six total tackles on special teams, four solos, and was fifth on the Giants by the season's end.

The former sixth-round pick by the Patriots out of Ohio State in 2012 also got in on 39 defensive snaps at safety, recording two tackles and one pass defensed in coverage.

The Giants planned to move receiver/kickoff return specialist C.J. Board from their 53-man roster to the practice squad to make room for Ebner. Board was listed as the Giants' primary kickoff returner on the team's unofficial depth chart released earlier today.

Safety Jabrill Peppers and receiver Kadarius Toney are listed behind Board as the kickoff return options, with Toney likely to be the one tabbed for that role when the Giants host the Denver Broncos in the regular-season opener on Sunday.

The Giants confirmed they tweaked their practice squad. They dropped defensive back Jordyn Peters and guard Kenny Wiggins, and adding offensive tackle Korey Cunningham, 6'6" and 311 pounds.

Cunningham has appeared in 18 career games for the Cardinals and the New England Patriots. He has six starts at left tackle in 2018 during his rookie year with the Cardinals, and made 11 appearances last year for the Patriots.