Caleb Murphy's Path to the Giants' 53-Man Roster Runs Through Special Teams

The fourth-year linebacker has bounced between three organizations in as many years. Making New York's roster will require standing out where it matters most—on special teams.

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Caleb Murphy (50) reacts after the game against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

New York Giants outside linebacker Caleb Murphy has spent three years in the NFL and has played for three different organizations. He has been traded from two of those in the middle of the season.

He started with Tennessee as a rookie, was traded to the Chargers in his second year, and was traded to the New England Patriots in his third year.

Throughout this time, only his tenure with the Chargers yielded significant snaps as an outside linebacker. Most of his work has been done on special teams.

It is not surprising that, when the Patriots waived him and the Giants claimed him, the idea was for Murphy to help bolster the Giants' special teams.

If you are an outside linebacker trying to make a 53-man roster, the Giants are not the place you want to claim you.

They have so many edge rushers in the fold that it is practically impossible for Caleb Murphy to make this team if he is simply trying to impress as an outside linebacker.

He does have a legitimate opportunity to impress on special teams, because a 6-foot-3, 254-pound linebacker who can run would be advantageous on all of the special teams units.

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CALEB MURPHY, OLB

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 254 lbs.
Exp.: 4 Years
School: Ferris State
How Acquired: W(NE)-'25

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2025 in Review

Murphy split the 2025 season between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots.

He ultimately played in 6 games for the Chargers and 5 for the Patriots. He started the season as a rotational player for the Chargers, garnering an average of over 20 snaps per game on the defense.

At the same time, he spent the primary part of his time on special teams, usually accruing an average of 70% or more of the snaps there.

He finished with 12 tackles and a half-sack before the Chargers waived him in October. Later that same month, the Patriots claimed him off waivers.

He made his debut with the Patriots in the second week of November. It was a Week 10 matchup with Tampa Bay, and while he did not see the field on defense, he did garner nearly 60% of the special team snaps.

That would be the trend throughout his short tenure with the Patriots. He only received three defensive snaps during that time, but he consistently hovered around 60% of the special team snaps.

By mid-December, the Patriots waived Murphy, and the Giants quickly signed him, claiming him off waivers.

Contract/Cap Info

Murphy signed a one-year, $1.145 million deal to stay with the Giants. There was no signing bonus, and there was no guaranteed money within the deal. He will have a $1.145 million cap hit and no dead cap.

2026 Preview

Murphy has an unenviable task. He sits on a roster that is suddenly flush with talent at outside linebacker, most of which focuses on edge-rushing ability. What further complicates things defensively for Murphy is that the Giants have multiple linebackers with the versatility to play on the edge or as stand-up inside linebackers.

Murphy has not been able to prove that he can be a factor as an edge rusher, and he has not played any stand-up linebacker.

Those are just not going to be avenues for him to make the 53-man roster. We all know it, and even he knows it, if he's being honest with himself.

The battle for a roster spot will need to come via special teams, where he will look to make an impression on linebackers like Khalid Kareem, Trace Ford, Zaire Barnes, and Caleb Jones.

It will also be important that he be more impressive on special teams than tight ends like Thomas Fidone and Tanner Conner, as well as some of the bigger receivers like Ryan Miller, Beaux Collins, and Isaiah Hodgins.

His focus should be on outworking all of these guys to show the Giants brass that he can be a major contributor in all phases of special teams.

Many people might think that the place where he will have to impress most is tackling, since he is a linebacker. But the truth is, as a linebacker, his tackling will be taken for granted.

Where he will be able to really separate himself is in his blocking. If he can stand out as a blocker on the punt team and the kickoff return team, it will go a long way in raising his status over some of the other players in line for similar positions. But even then, it will be an uphill battle to make this final roster.

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