The Giants were shopping for veteran linebacker help, and according to veteran Kelvin Sheppard, they are adding him for assistance.
Sheppard spent the last two seasons in Miami after a stopover in Indianapolis. He was drafted in the third round by the Buffalo Bills in 2011. The Giants later announced the signing Monday, along with running back Bobby Rainey and offensive tackle Byron Stingily.
The 28 year old played in all 16 games for the Dolphins a year ago, logging 72 tackles and a pair of pass breakups. He'll join a platoon that is likely to include Devon Kennard and Keenan Robinson.
The move is par for the course in New York. The Giants have always liked the idea of plucking their linebackers out of the bargain bin, allocating the big money elsewhere. Spending lavishly, as they did on Jon Beason, only came back to haunt them. General manager Jerry Reese gets accused of many things, but he managed to win a Super Bowl title with the likes of Michael Boley, Chase Blackburn and Mathias Kiwanuka at linebacker.
The unit, after undergoing massive change over the past three years, seems to finally be coming together. Kennard, despite injury issues, looks like an ascending player that can tie these linebackers together.
