The New York Giants have a new hole in their defense after starting linebacker Micah McFadden went down with an injury in Week 1.
McFadden was placed on injured reserve on Thursday afternoon, officially sidelining him for a significant portion of the season. Now the Giants need to rely on a relative unknown to fill his shoes.
Giants relying on Darius Muasau to fill in for Micah McFadden
2024 sixth-round pick Darius Muasau was the next man up in Week 1 after McFadden went down. He was on the field for 38 snaps, 54% of the Giants’ total defensive snaps on Sunday.
Muasau finished the game with two tackles and graded out as the Giants’ worst defensive player. He earned a 30.0 Pro Football Focus Grade in the contest, ranking 92nd among 100 eligible linebackers heading into Week 2.
Darius Muasau, NFL: New York Giants Training Camp
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Giants drafted Muasau out of UCLA last offseason to add depth to their linebacker corps and to their special teams unit. Muasau’s potential ability to contribute on special teams was his strongest attribute.
But now, Muasau needs to contribute in a major way to the Giants’ defense.
He saw significant playing time down the stretch as a rookie after Bobby Okereke went down with an injury. Muasau totaled 55 combined tackles and three tackles for loss across 15 games with seven starts in 2024.
This will be a massive opportunity for Muasau as McFadden is expected to be sidelined for the majority of this season.