Giants’ roster moves: LB Benardrick McKinney elevated with Tae Crowder injured

Veteran linebacker quickly finds himself needed by his new team

Less than a week after being signed to the New York Giants practice squad, veteran linebacker Benardrick McKinney is being elevated to the active roster for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

That news comes on the heels of the Giants announcing that starting inside linebacker Tae Crowder has been added to the team’s injury report with a thigh injury. Crowder is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

The Giants are already without leading tackler and signal-caller Blake Martinez, out for the year with a torn ACL. Crowder has been calling defensive signals in his absence.

After watching his team lose three straight games, Carolina coach Matt Rhule has been clear this week that he wants his team to run the football 30 or more times.

McKinney, 28, was a 2015 second-round pick by the Houston Texans. He played in 80 games for the Texans, starting 77, and made the Pro Bowl in 2018. McKinney was traded to the Miami Dolphins after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury. Miami cut him before the season began.

The 6-foot-4, 257-pound McKinney has been best known as a run defender throughout his career.