The New York Giants have brought defensive tackle Ben Barten back into the fold, claiming the Wisconsin product off waivers from the Jets just weeks after letting him go.
The move, which filled the roster spot created by the trade of offensive lineman Daniel Faalele, gives the undrafted rookie a second chance with the team that originally signed him following the 2026 NFL Draft.
Barten’s path to this point has been a whirlwind even by the standards of a typical training-camp roster shuffle. After going unselected in April, the 6-foot-5, 324-pound lineman signed with the Giants and reported to camp at The Greenbrier. He lasted only a short time.
On July 30, the team waived him to make room for linebacker Anfernee Orji, a special-teams veteran coming off an ACL injury. Two days later the Jets scooped Barten up, adding him to their 90-man roster while cutting long snapper Garrison Grimes. Now, barely three weeks later, he is back in East Rutherford.
At Wisconsin, Barten developed into a reliable interior presence. He started every game as a senior in 2025, logging 360 defensive snaps and posting career highs of 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Over his college career, he appeared in 44 games and recorded 63 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and eight passes defensed.
Scouts were especially impressed by his raw power; he posted 33 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press at his pro day, a number that would have ranked among the best at the NFL Combine.
That strength, combined with his size, made him an intriguing developmental piece for a Giants defensive line still adjusting after the departure of Dexter Lawrence.
Barten’s game is built around occupying blockers and holding the point of attack rather than chasing down plays from behind. His 40-yard dash time of 5.41 seconds is not going to win any races, but his lower-body explosiveness and ability to generate push have given coaches reason to keep looking his way.
For Barten, the claim represents another opportunity to prove he belongs. The Giants’ defensive-tackle room remains crowded with veterans and other young additions, yet the organization clearly saw enough in his brief first stint—and in the film he produced with the Jets—to want him back.
Whether he sticks this time will depend on how quickly he can translate his college production and physical tools into consistent NFL-level play.
For now, the Stratford, Wisconsin, native has another shot to wear Giants blue.
