The New York Giants, sitting at 2-12, are clearly shifting into evaluation mode as the season winds down-and they just made a move that reflects that. Taking full advantage of their top waiver priority, the Giants claimed outside linebacker Caleb Murphy off waivers from the New England Patriots.
Murphy, 26, is a 6-foot-3, 254-pound edge rusher who’s had a winding journey through the NFL since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023 with the Tennessee Titans. This season alone, he’s suited up for both the Chargers and Patriots, appearing in 11 games total-six with L.A. and five with New England.
He’s not a stat-sheet stuffer just yet-Murphy has 19 career tackles, with eight of those being solo, and a single half-sack to his name, which came earlier this season during his stint with the Chargers. But his role has largely been on special teams, where he logged 79 snaps for the Patriots. Defensively, though, he saw the field just three times in New England.
So why the move now? Well, context matters.
The Giants have been without starting outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux for the past four games due to a shoulder injury. And while the team hasn’t officially moved him to injured reserve, bringing in Murphy could be a signal that they're bracing for that possibility with just three games left on the calendar.
At this point in the season, with the playoffs out of reach and the roster banged up, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more Giants veterans shut down for the year. The focus now shifts to depth evaluation and future planning-seeing who might carve out a role in 2026 or at least stick around for training camp.
Murphy may not be a game-changer yet, but with edge depth thin and reps available, he’ll get a shot to show what he can do. For a player who’s bounced around three teams in two years, this is another opportunity to prove he belongs. And for the Giants, it's a low-risk move with potential upside-exactly the kind of flyer you take when you're building for the long haul.