As the New York Giants finalize their 53-man roster ahead of the deadline on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., they must consider their depth at each position. We all know how important each roster spot is come Week 1 because injuries always happen, and the teams that succeed the most are the ones that have the reliable backups to sustain those injuries.
The Giants' defense this year is nothing to sneeze at. Big Blue upgraded its front seven significantly with the addition of Abdul Carter, and added to their secondary by bringing in cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland. Still, not a lot of people are discussing the inside linebacker position.
Big Blue will likely keep four inside linebackers on its 53-man roster, and its starters are veterans Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. As for the other two players, they will roster at the position we can assume will be veteran Chris Board, and Darius Muasau, who defensive coordinator Shane Bowen basically confirmed will play a big part this season.
Darius Muasau will have an important role with the Giants in 2025
Giants reporter Madelyn Burke reported that Bowen was recently asked about Muasau and talked about his confidence in the second-year linebacker, just as he does in Okereke and McFadden. Bowen went on to add that the 24-year-old has "a knack for finding the football," which is music to Giants fans' ears who did not see their defense force many turnovers last season.
They forced five interceptions (ranked 28th) and ranked 32nd in the league in opponent turnovers. Muasau had one of those five interceptions and totaled 55 tackles (26 solo) and one pass defended in 15 games played. The former sixth-round pick had an impressive rookie campaign, which many people believe could translate into his second year this season.
Bowen has implemented a turnover chest to the Giants' defense this offseason, inspired by his son's tee-ball team named the Pirates. The idea is that when a player forces a turnover, they deposit the ball into the chest. The chest will add some motivation to the defense and will likely sit on Big Blue's sideline all season.
With all the upgrades on defense, the G-Men won't have to search too hard for turnovers anymore. Still, one of the frequent contributors to the turnover chest will likely be second-year inside linebacker Muasau, who continues to impress Bowen and the Giants coaching staff.