The New York Giants worked out three veteran edge rushers on Monday, and with Yannick Ngakoue’s history with John Harbaugh, it felt like his signing was a near-foregone conclusion. Instead, Big Blue went with Dawuane Smoot, signing the 31-year-old to the practice squad and sending Ngakoue and Julian Okwara on their way, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
I’m not going to pretend the signing is a needle-mover. Smoot is 31 with 27 career sacks over nine seasons, and he finished last year with two sacks in 17 games as a rotational piece in Jacksonville. He’s a 275-pound, high-motor guy who hasn’t been much of a factor against the run, either.
Still, the G-Men needed another body, and that part isn’t really up for debate. Brian Burns is out for the year with a torn ACL, and Chauncey Golston just joined him on IR with a neck injury. Adding another edge rusher to the room at this point is just good housekeeping.
Dawuane Smoot joins the Giants with a chance to earn a bigger role
Ngakoue was the most interesting name among the workout attendees on Monday, and it’s not particularly close. He has 70.5 career sacks and a Pro Bowl on his résumé, plus history with Harbaugh from two separate stints (2020 and 2024) in Baltimore.
He’s even said on social media that he’s “willing and able” to come to New York in a comment on a fan's tweet when Burns went down. If any veteran was coming away with a deal, I figured it'd be him.
So when Big Blue went with Smoot instead, it’s hard not to start reading between the lines.
Ngakoue broke his ankle with the Bears in Week 14 of 2023 and managed to return for 11 games between Baltimore and New England the following season. He then sat out all of 2025 to focus on rehabbing his ankle, and at 31, it’s fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank.
He would have come pre-Harbaugh'd, so the Giants choosing Smoot after working out both guys makes you wonder where Ngakoue is in his comeback journey. And with Kayvon Thibodeaux still sitting on zero sacks through five games, I wouldn’t rule out the Giants circling back to Ngakoue if Smoot doesn’t work out.
Smoot also owes Patrick "Pancake Pat" Ricard an apology. Back in 2024, he was fined $8,156 for kneeing Ricard in the head during a Bills-Ravens game. Might want to get that conversation out of the way before their first practice together.
For now, Smoot fills the final spot on the P-Squad. He gives DC Dennard Wilson another vet to have for any break-glass-in-case-of-emergency situations. That’s fine. Even if he gets elevated, I’m not expecting much from a guy joining a defense that’s already had to blitz like crazy just to get after the quarterback.
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