GIANTS ADD TWO VETERAN DEFENDERS
Michael Eisen
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants today added two veteran defenders who have played in 102 NFL games and registered a combined 306 tackles (including playoffs).
The newcomers are defensive end Devin Taylor, formerly of the Detroit Lions, and safety Duke Ihenacho, who began his career with the Denver Broncos and played the previous three seasons for the Washington Redskins.
To clear room on the roster, the Giants terminated the contract of safety Raheem Moore and waived linebacker Ishaq Williams.
Taylor, 6-7 and 276 pounds, started all 17 games for the Lions in 2016, including the NFC Wild Card Game in Seattle. He recorded 28 tackles (21 solo), including 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. He also had four tackles (two solo) in the postseason.
A fourth-round draft choice in 2013, Taylor played in 61 regular-season games with 18 starts and two postseason games with one start in four seasons with the Lions. His career totals include 92 tackles (69 solo), 15.0 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
At the University of South Carolina, Taylor played in 52 games with 45 starts. He started each of his last 40 games and finished his collegiate career with 151 tackles (107 solo) and 18.5 sacks.
Ihenacho, 6-1 and 212 pounds, played in 15 games with 10 starts last season for Washington. He had 59 tackles (49 solo) and two passes defensed, plus seven special teams tackles (five solo). In 2015, he started the season opener, but suffered a wrist injury and was placed on injured reserve.
In five NFL seasons, Ihenacho has played in 36 regular-season games with 25 starts. His career totals include 135 tackles (105 solo), eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
Ihenacho entered the NFL with Denver in 2012 as an undrafted free agent from San Jose State. He played in two games as a rookie. The following season, he started 14 of the 15 games in which he played, plus all three of Denver’s postseason games, including the Broncos’ loss to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie also started in Denver’s secondary in that game.
Ihenacho was waived at the end of training camp in 2014 and was claimed by Washington. Injuries limited him to four games in his first two seasons before he became a full-time player last year.
In 47 games at San Jose State, Ihenacho tallied 288 tackles (142 solo) and seven interceptions.