The New York Giants are signing veteran defensive end Dawuane Smoot to the practice squad on Monday, reports NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
New York also worked out Yannick Ngakoue and Julian Okwara on Monday, but opted to add Smoot, who spent eight of his nine NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Smoot, 31, measures 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds. The Illinois product was selected by Jacksonville in the third round (No. 68 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He has appeared in 127 regular-season games with 21 starts and recorded 27 career sacks, primarily in a rotational role.
After a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills in 2024, Smoot returned to the Jaguars last season and played in all 17 games, finishing with 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, five
quarterback hits, and 2.0 sacks.
The addition addresses ongoing depth concerns along the Giants’ defensive front. New York has already lost edge rusher Brian Burns for the season to injured reserve (IR), and Chauncey Golston recently joined him there.
Head coach John Harbaugh recently described the unit’s run defense as “feast or famine,” a point underscored by Washington’s 202-yard rushing performance in Week 5.
Smoot joins a group that includes Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter on the edge.
While Ngakoue’s prior experience under Harbaugh with the Ravens drew interest, the Giants chose the more recently active Smoot for the practice squad. He can be elevated to the active roster as needed while the team continues managing injuries and searching for consistent production up front.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants signing former Jaguars third-round pick to practice squad
