Overview
- The New York Giants signed inside linebacker Anfernee Orji and waived defensive lineman Ben Barten, a transaction announced on Thursday that followed Orji’s minicamp tryout.
- Orji played 16 games with two starts for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and was claimed by the Tennessee Titans in May 2025 before tearing his ACL in August and missing the 2025 season.
- The move is a low-cost, reclamation-style addition intended to provide depth on defense and compete for special-teams and rotational snaps rather than guarantee a long-term starting role.
- This signing follows larger roster steps the Giants took at the position earlier in the offseason, including signing Tremaine Edmunds to a three-year deal and drafting Arvell Reese with a top-five pick.
- Giants coaches and analysts have publicly criticized the team’s off-ball linebackers for missed tackles and run-defense breakdowns in 2025, making incremental depth moves like Orji part of a broader attempt to fix a clear team weakness.