Linebacker Jon Beason passed his physical on Friday, completing his trade to the Giants from the Panthers for a conditional late-round draft pick in 2014.
Beason, 28, a three-time Pro Bowler, has struggled with knee and Achilles injuries in recent years, and had lost his starting role at weakside linebacker to former Giant Chase Blackburn in Week 3.
On Thursday morning, Beason approached Panthers coach Ron Rivera about wanting more playing time, setting the stage for the opportunity with the Giants.
“It’s amazing,” Beason told Giants.com. “It doesn’t happen [often] with mid-season trades. But the one place I said if I wasn’t in Carolina where I wanted to be was with a great organization like the Giants with a winning tradition, leadership, a 4-3 scheme where I can come in right now. I think I can really come out and impact the season.”
A former first-round pick out of Miami, Beason becomes the latest linebacker reclamation project for the Giants. After playing in every game his first four seasons, averaging over 135 tackles per season, Beason has been limited to just seven games in the past three seasons.
It is unclear when Beason will debut with the Giants, but upon insertion, he is expected to replace Mark Herzlich as the team’s starting middle linebacker.
“If they ask me to, I’ll dress [Sunday] and I’ll give everything I have,” said Beason. “It’s just going to be terminology. I’m a smart player. I learn fast. Being a ‘Mike’ linebacker, a lot is on your plate. I think I actually thrive in that position. I’m going to get with coach as long as it takes and as fast as I can get it as soon as I want to play.”
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The Giants will be without at least six players on Sunday, including center David Baas (neck), defensive tackle Linval Joseph (ankle/knee), tight end Adrien Robinson (foot) and cornerbacks Aaron Ross (back) and Jayron Hosley (hamstring).
Cornerback Corey Webster (groin), who practiced for the first time in weeks on Wednesday in a limited capacity, is listed as doubtful after suffering a setback. He did not practice on Thursday or Friday.
Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (knee/Achilles) and Eagles safety Patrick Chung (shoulder) also are listed as questionable.
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Cornerback Trumaine McBride is expected to start opposite Prince Amukamara, although defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said Terrell Thomas could see some time on the outside, rather than just playing at his usual role in the slot.
With only three healthy cornerbacks, coach Tom Coughlin said the Giants could activate a player from the practice squad for Sunday.
The likely candidate would be rookie Charles James, who said he hadn’t been notified yet whether he would get the call.
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Even before the accumulation of injuries, the Giants were the 20th-ranked pass defense and were tied for a league-worst 10 passing touchdowns allowed.
If the Eagles find more reason to attack the weakened secondary, it could allow the once-famed Giants pass rush to improve upon its abysmal four-sack total through four games, which is tied with the Steelers for the league’s lowest total.
The Eagles have allowed 14 sacks this season, tying for the fifth-most in the league.
“I think that we have to get them into situations where they want to drop back and throw the football, and then the pass rush would be huge in that sense,” Fewell said. “As we studied this offense in the offseason and during this season, they’re a good running offense and they’re a good running offense with a play-action pass. We’ve got to create those situations where they become a drop-back offense.”