A day after the Giants agreed to terms with one of their own linebackers, Jon Beason, they landed another, coming to terms on a contract with former Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain. The deal is expected to be signed Friday.
McClain, 28, visited with the Giants last week, a day after meeting with the Bills. He was a recent cut of the Ravens. In 10 games last season he had 52 tackles; his 2012 season was cut short after he suffered a spinal cord contusion. McClain has experience playing outside linebacker and also in the middle and likely would slide in on the strong side for the Giants.
The Giants have been busy with linebackers, making a tender offer to Spencer Paysinger, re-signing Mark Herzlich, signing Beason and now landing McClain. They had also agreed to a deal with O’Brien Schofield, a reserve with the Seahawks whom the Giants viewed as an ascending player, before he failed his physical and the two-year, $8 million contract was retracted.
The 6-foot-1, 245-pound McClain was an undrafted free agent from Syracuse who was released by the Ravens entering the final year of a contract that was to pay him $3.2 million. McClain has started 55 games in his six-year NFL career, all with the Ravens.