Dawuane Smoot isn't replacing Brian Burns. He might help the Giants avoid asking every remaining pass rusher to take on more work while they decide whether outside help is worth the cost.
I'd test that possibility before spending a draft pick on a veteran rental. Smoot has enough recent NFL experience to deserve the evaluation, but the Giants should be buying themselves an option, not convincing themselves that an old sack total solves their current injuries.
New York signed Smoot to the practice squad Tuesday . He is not on the active roster, and there is no confirmed game-day role to announce. The argument for using him against New Orleans is my proposal, conditional on his readiness and the coaches' evaluation.
Burns and Chauncey Golston are currently on injured reserve. Abdul Carter , Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jihad Ward are on the active roster. Those are the actual circumstances behind the signing, and they make a limited additional pass-rush option worth investigating.
Smoot played all 17 regular-season games for Jacksonville in 2025 and recorded two sacks without starting a game. Availability across that season is useful background. It doesn't establish his current conditioning after months without a 2026 game appearance.
Archive photo: Jacksonville, January 2026. Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dawuane Smoot (98) is high-fived by defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
His career total is 27 sacks in 127 games. The stronger production is further back: he had six sacks in 2019, 5 1/2 in 2020, six in 2021 and five in 2022. The recent record is much more modest. New York should assess the player who can help now, not sign the version it remembers from four years ago.
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If the practice work supports it, I'd consider a game-day elevation and a limited package of snaps, initially around 10 to 15 rather than a starter's workload. I'm suggesting that trial, not reporting a Giants plan. Ask him to handle a clear edge assignment and see whether he can take useful work off the main rushers without creating a run-defense liability.
The test should include more than whether he happens to get a sack. Maintaining his assignment, making the quarterback move and giving a starter a workable rest are useful outcomes too. Those need actual observation; the old stat line can't tell us whether he will deliver them Sunday.
The alternative is to pursue a proven active-roster contributor elsewhere or keep the current rotation if Smoot isn't ready. Waiting on a cheap option can cost a team a chance at better help. If the staff sees a clear talent shortfall, there is no reason to delay solely because a practice-squad signing is less expensive.
No specific trade target, asking price or Giants negotiation is confirmed here. That missing information limits any claim about which route would be better. The point is to finish the low-cost evaluation before treating a trade as the only answer.
Smoot doesn't have to revive his best Jacksonville season to justify a small role. He has to make the rotation more manageable now. If he can, the Giants can spend their picks on a more substantial improvement later; if he can't, they should move on from the experiment quickly.
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