Giants Elevate Two from Practice Squad for Game vs. Titans

As expected, the Giants added reinforcements at outside linebacker and safety ahead of their regular-season Week 1 opener at Tennessee.

The New York Giants have elevated outside linebacker Quincy Roche and safety Tony Jefferson from their practice squad.

The moves come as little surprise given the Giants' injuries at the position. Outside linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee) and Azeez Ojulari (calf) are both listed as doubtful for Sunday's regular-season opener against the Tennessee Cardinals. Both were unlikely to play, given how little they could do in practice this week during the part open to the media.

Roche, who was the odd man out of the outside linebacker picture, is a physical player, which the Giants can't have enough of if they're to slow down Titans running back Derrick Henry.

Jefferson, a veteran safety, will step in for rookie Dane Belton, who is listed as questionable with a broken collarbone. Jefferson has experience playing in Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale's system when they were both with the Ravens, the player having served two different stints (2017-2019 and 2021).

The Giants also lost veteran guard Max Garcia from their practice squad. Garcia was signed by the Arizona Cardinals, with whom he played during the 2019-2021 seasons.

Teams are no longer permitted to "protect" four practice squad players each week as they had been during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. That rule was dropped this year once COVID-19 restrictions were eased by the league. 

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