Giants Sign LB Benardrick McKinney to 53-man Roster

The Giants signed inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney to their 53-man roster, a move that was expected to come this week ahead of their Monday night game at Tampa Bay.

McKinney, who was initially signed to the Giants practice squad on October 18, has twice been a standard game day elevation for the team, which can elevate players from the practice squad a maximum of two times per season before such players become eligible for waivers. In their Week 9 game against Las Vegas, McKinney was a COVID-19 replacement.

The seven-year veteran has played in 60 defensive snaps for New York and has nine tackles (five solos), most of those against the run.

McKinney, who played his first six seasons with the Houston Texans, has started 77 of the 83 regular-season games in which he's played and earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2018 as a member of the Texans.

The Giants also signed running back Jonathan Williams to their practice squad. Williams, a journeyman, has played for four teams between 2016 and 2020: Buffalo (who selected him in the fifth round of the 2016 draft), Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Detroit. 

He was most recently on the Washington Football Team's practice squad until November 2.

Williams, who played his college ball at Arkansas, has appeared in 28 games with one start and has 334 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 80 carries and 81 yards on 11 receptions.

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