Giants Add Veteran Safety Brandon Meriweather, Thompson to IR

The Giants shook up their hurting safety corps on Sunday when they announced veteran Brandon Meriweather was signed to a one-year deal to replace injured rookie Mykkele Thompson, who will miss the season.

Meriweather, 31, spent last season with Washington, starting 10 games at strong safety. He managed 36 tackles, three passes defended, three sacks and three forced fumbles, but really struggled in coverage.

The former first-round pick out of Miami enjoyed a solid career with the New England Patriots, including two Pro Bowl seasons in 2009 and 2010. But he didn’t find the same success in his lone season with the Bears, or in his three-year stint with Washington.

(Photo: AP)

He has consistently graded out as one of the worst safeties in the NFL since leaving New England, and his hard-hitting style has gained him the reputation as one of the dirtiest players in the league. He has six career suspensions stemming from illegal hits.

Meriweather generated virtually no free agent interest this offseason before the safety-needy Giants came calling. He’s mostly a depth signing, but his eight years of NFL experience coupled with Big Blue’s injury woes means he has a shot to earn a spot on the roster.

With Thompson on IR and Nat Berhe and Landon Collins on the shelf, Meriweather joins Jeromy Miles, Bennett Jackson, Cooper Taylor, Justin Currie and Justin Halley as the Giants’ healthy safeties.

Thompson was drafted in the fifth round (144^th overall) out of Texas in May’s draft. He was in contention to start at free safety for the Giants this year, but suffered a torn Achilles in the second quarter of Friday’s loss to the Bengals.

Thompson will miss the entire 2015 season, and will likely contend for a spot in the Giants defensive backfield again in 2016.

The Giants also announced they waived kicker Chris Boswell. Josh Brown is now the only kicker on the team’s roster.