There's no way to sugarcoat it. New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau has been abysmal in his first two seasons with the team. A sixth-round pick in 2024, Muasau has just about played his way off New York's roster.
But he has one final chance to prove he's worth keeping around this offseason. The arrival of head coach John Harbaugh gives the linebacker a fresh start and an even playing field from which to fight for his roster spot in training camp.
Muasau still has an uphill climb to resurrect his NFL career, but he could be a player to watch in the coming months.
Giants LB Darius Muasau must prove himself to John Harbaugh to stay on the roster
Muasau started 11 games for the Giants in 2025. In those 11 games, the G-Men allowed 145.7 rushing yards, on average. He struggled to make plays against both the run and the pass.
The 25-year-old linebacker finished the year with 51 total tackles and one pass deflection. There weren't many bright spots on New York's defense outside of the edge rushers, but he certainly wasn't one of them.
It wasn't a surprise when the Giants focused their efforts on rebuilding their linebacker room this offseason. Big Blue added Tremaine Edmunds, Arvell Reese, Cam Jones, and Jack Kelly to their ranks, pushing Muasau down the depth chart.
With Micah McFadden returning to the lineup after recovering from his injury, Muasau is now on the chopping block heading into training camp. The G-Men only carried five off-ball linebackers on their initial 53-man roster in 2025. If they do the same this year, Muasau, Jones, and Zaire Barnes are competing for one spot.
But with a new coaching staff in place, they're at least competing from the same starting point. Muasau has a chance to make a strong first impression on Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, potentially saving his chances of making the final roster.
If he's going to keep his spot, Muasau will need to prove that he can make an impact on special teams. He only logged 93 snaps on special teams last season, a significant drop from the 247 he had as a rookie. The fifth linebacker on the team isn't likely to earn many snaps on defense, so special teams excellence is essential.
Muasau may be a long shot to make the roster, but there's at least a glimmer of hope for the third-year linebacker.
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