Due to multiple injuries at the position, the New York Giants are bringing in veteran linebacker Neville Hewitt before Week 3
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the story first, but Art Stapleton, a beat reporter for NorthJersey.com and a Giants insider, was also quick to confirm the Hewitt addition.
Reporter Dan Stapleton shared that the Giants are bringing in veteran linebacker Neville Hewitt on a practice squad deal, as confirmed by his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The move comes after the team suffered a rash of injuries at linebacker in the first two weeks of the season: Micah McFadden landed on injured reserve, Darius Muasau entered concussion protocol, Chris Board hurt his chest, and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles went down with a calf issue.
Hewitt, now in his 10th NFL season, has spent time with the Dolphins, Jets, and most recently the Texans, where he played the past four years. His most productive stretch came with the Jets, when he posted back-to-back strong seasons—134 tackles (91 solo) in 2020 and 75 tackles in 2019.
While he’s mostly been used as a backup and a special teams staple outside of those peak years, Hewitt has built a solid career as a reliable role player. Across 10 seasons, he has totaled 499 tackles in the regular season plus 10 more in the playoffs, along with 7.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, 22 tackles for loss, and 16 pass breakups. With the Giants, he’ll likely serve as depth and a steady presence on special teams, but his experience makes him a dependable option if pressed into action.
Giants Are Lacking a Steady Second Linebacker Behind Bobby Okereke
The Giants’ inside linebacker situation has been a revolving door this season due to injuries, preventing them from establishing a steady pairing. The original plan was for Micah McFadden to line up next to Bobby Okereke, but McFadden’s early injury quickly derailed that setup.
When they faced the Cowboys, rookie Darius Muasau and veteran Chris Board ended up sharing the role after Muasau went down, leaving the unit scrambling. While both players held their own individually, Pro Football Focus noted that the lack of continuity has clearly affected the defense.
The results were on full display in Week 2, when the Giants’ defense gave up 40 points to Dallas. A group that was expected to be the backbone of the team heading into 2025 hasn’t looked the part. Injuries at linebacker aren’t the only reason for the struggles, but the constant shuffling has certainly made it harder for the defense to live up to expectations.
Big Blue Needs More From MLB Bobby Okereke
Bobby Okereke is the centerpiece of the Giants’ linebacker group, and in certain defensive packages, he’s the only inside linebacker on the field. The team invested in him to be both a leader and a difference-maker for this defense.
So far, though, his play has been uneven. According to Pro Football Focus, he missed a tackle in Week 2 already his second of the season. His run defense has also been shaky, with tackles coming an average of five yards downfield. In coverage, opponents have caught five of six passes thrown his way, racking up 64 yards and a 111.1 passer rating.
It hasn’t been all negative. PFF has credited Okereke with five key defensive stops, and he has come through with some timely plays. Still, for a linebacker the Giants committed \$40 million to, they need more consistency week in and week out.
The pressure isn’t just on Okereke, though. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has also faced heavy criticism from fans after the defense stumbled badly through the first two games.