New York Giants Sign Veteran Defensive Lineman Dean Lowry to Practice Squad

The New York Giants have signed veteran defensive lineman Dean Lowry to their practice squad as the team enters its Week 8 bye. The transaction brings the 32-year-old interior lineman to New York following an earlier attempt by both sides to finalize an agreement in early September. The move provides experienced reinforcement to a defensive front currently managing recent injuries and depth shortages.

The addition arrived alongside a series of roster adjustments announced by the franchise. New York placed running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. on injured reserve after he sustained a hamstring injury during Sunday's 27-21 overtime victory against the Houston Texans. In corresponding moves, the Giants signed running back Gregory Desrosiers from the Los Angeles Chargers' practice squad to the active roster and released wide receiver Jason Brownlee. General manager Joe Schoen noted that Tracy's injury is not expected to end his season, stating, "This won't be something that's going to be long-term -- fortunately."

Lowry joins a defensive line rotation that has faced substantial change since the offseason trade of All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for a 2026 first-round draft pick. While free-agent acquisitions Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader have filled starting roles, depth along the interior has remained an ongoing challenge, further compounded by an injury to Chauncey Golston less than a week ago. On the practice squad, Lowry joins fellow defensive linemen PJ Mustipher and Josh Tupou as candidates for potential elevations to the active roster.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Northwestern, the 6-foot-6, 296-pound Lowry brings significant experience to the organization. He spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with the Green Bay Packers from 2016 through 2022, missing just three regular-season games during that stretch. During his tenure in Green Bay, Lowry developed into a consistent starter, logging a career-high five sacks in 2021 and appearing in eight postseason games, including five starts and three NFC Championship Game appearances.

Following his departure from Green Bay, Lowry signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. After being released the following offseason, he signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his 2024 campaign in Pittsburgh, Lowry appeared in 12 games as a rotational contributor, recording five tackles, one sack, and a pass deflection, alongside a blocked kick.

Physical setbacks interrupted Lowry's recent playing time. After agreeing to a new deal with Pittsburgh, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear during training camp and spent the entire 2025 season on injured reserve before being released during final roster cutdowns. His last regular-season appearance came on Dec. 21, 2024, against the Baltimore Ravens. While discussions between Lowry and the Giants were initiated in September, injury concerns on both sides delayed the signing until this week.

Over the course of 132 regular-season games and 85 starts across his career, Lowry has recorded 271 total tackles, 144 solo stops, 23 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 33 quarterback hits, five fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one interception. With the Giants sitting at 4-2-1 and leading the NFC East, Lowry is not expected to immediately step into a starting role, but his extensive experience offers a dependable depth option capable of contributing on short notice.