The New York Giants signed linebacker Malik Harrison to their active roster on Tuesday after he exhausted his three practice-squad elevations, the team announced.
The move solidifies the 28-year-old’s place on the 53-man roster for the remainder of the season and allows him to return once he is fully healthy.
Harrison joined the Giants’ practice squad roughly 10 days before the season opener. He was elevated for each of the team’s first three games, where he contributed primarily on special teams.
In those contests, he logged 56 snaps (about 85 percent of New York’s special-teams total), recorded two tackles, and recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the Giants’ Week 3 victory over the Titans. He then missed the next two games while rehabbing an injury; the permanent roster spot ensures he can be activated when cleared.
A 2020 third-round pick (No. 98 overall) by the Baltimore Ravens out of Ohio State, Harrison is already familiar with Giants head coach John Harbaugh.
He spent his first five NFL seasons in Baltimore before playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 and signing with New York this summer.
Standing 6-foot-3 and listed around 245 pounds, he has appeared in 90 career games with 43 starts. Official Giants figures credit him with 181 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass defensed, one fumble recovery, and 36 special-teams tackles across his career with the Ravens, Steelers, and Giants.
Harrison’s value has come mainly as a core special-teams contributor and reliable depth option at inside linebacker.
With the Giants dealing with injuries along the defensive front, his experience and familiarity with Harbaugh’s scheme give the coaching staff another trusted veteran who can contribute immediately on coverage units and in a reserve role.
In a related move, the Giants added veteran outside linebacker Dawuane Smoot to the practice squad.
The 31-year-old, a former third-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, has recorded 27 career sacks over 127 games and brings additional pass-rush depth while Harrison occupies the active-roster spot.
The signing is a straightforward roster decision driven by NFL rules and on-field performance.
By committing to Harrison for the rest of the year, the Giants lock in a proven special-teams piece who has already shown he can make plays in New York’s uniform.
Once healthy, he is expected to resume his role as a key contributor on coverage units and provide experienced depth behind the starting linebackers.
