Should Giants Re-sign LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for Defensive, ST Depth?

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles wasn't that bad last year when he was on the field.

Is New York Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles a candidate to be extended, or will he be a free agent? | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB

Height: 6-2
Weight: 223 lbs
Age: 29
NFL Exp.: 6 Years
College: Arizona

When the New York Giants signed inside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, he had sort of established himself as a career special teams ace with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Giants, looking to bolster their own special teams, likely focused on having Flannigan-Fowles do that as well, signing him to a one-year deal worth $1.3 million.

Interestingly enough, when injuries started hitting the linebacker unit, Flannigan-Fowles, when he wasn’t sidelined by injury, showed himself to be more of the prototypical inside linebacker who was a fit for what the Giants ran on defense. 

He showed he had both the speed to run and cover and the power to jolt opposing ball carriers.  

2025 Season Recap

New York Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Like seemingly every player on the Giants, Flannigan-Fowles dealt with injury during the 2025 season but still finished with a career-high 33 total tackles.

Despite that, Flannigan-Fowles ended up playing a career-high 225 defensive snaps and had moderate success as an off-ball blitzer.

Injuries allowed Flannigan-Fowles to start three games defensively, but he got injured in the third one and would miss time.

Toward the end of the season, Flannigan-Fowles was playing solid ball defensively after a rough start to the year.

Flannigan-Fowles also played a career low in defensive snaps this season, partially because of injury but also because the rules changed for him.

He was no longer on the field goal block unit, for starters. More importantly, Flannigan-Fowles was on the kick coverage and punt return teams, neither of which saw significant playing time with how little this offense scored and how rarely this defense forced punts.

Why the Giants Should Keep Him

Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs the ball against New York Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (33) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Flannigan-Fowles ended the 2025 season with solid linebacker play against the Raiders and Cowboys, which isn’t a high bar, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

If he can continue to develop as a linebacker in addition to a special teams player, the Giants could have a low-cost veteran contributor on their hands.

Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him

Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) reacts after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) with Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (33) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Giants paid Flannigan-Fowles to be a high-quality special teams ace in 2025.

Injuries limited him during the season, but his lack of a clear, defined role on special teams makes it more difficult to justify.

If he’s not going to hold up to the physical nature of the game, then the Giants might want to look elsewhere, especially considering that the draft class is relatively deep in linebackers who can double as special teams contributors.

Keep or Move On?

Nov 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) slides in front of New York Giants linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (33) and linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) during the first half at Soldier Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Despite the injuries, the Giants should look to retain Flannigan-Fowles for at least one more season.

He won’t command much in terms of a contract for someone who can be a depth linebacker as well as a special teamer.

A multi-year deal for less money, as opposed to a one-year deal at a potentially slightly higher salary, could also allow the Giants to help Flannigan-Fowles build off of his final two games defensively while also allowing for a potential young player to cut his teeth.

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