Giants Officially Re-Sign Markus Golden; Josiah Tauaefa Added to COVID List

Markus Golden – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN MARKUS GOLDEN…
The New York Giants have officially re-signed free agent linebacker Markus Golden. The NFL Network is reporting that the deal is a 1-year, $5.1 million contract.

Back in late April, the New York Giants placed the seldom-used “May 5” tender on Golden, who had been an unrestricted free agent. Unless Golden signed with another team by July 22, the tender would enable the Giants to maintain exclusive signing rights until the 10th week of the 2020 NFL season. That deadline passed without Golden signing.

The Giants signed Golden as an unrestricted free agent from the Arizona Cardinals in March 2019. Golden had a strong debut season with the Giants in 2019, starting all 16 games, playing 83 percent of all defensive snaps, accruing a career-high 72 tackles, and team-high 10 sacks.

The 6’3”, 260-pound Golden was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. Golden’s break-out season was in 2016 at linebacker when he accrued 51 tackles and 12.5 sacks. He missed 12 games in 2017 with an ACL injury. While he returned in 2018, he missed five games and saw his production slip to 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

ALEX TANNEY PASSES PHYSICAL…
Quarterback Alex Tanney has passed his physical and has been activated off of the Reserve/Non-Football Illness List. He was placed on that list on July 28.

The Giants signed Tanney in May 2018 after after he was cut by the Tennessee Titans. The 6’4”, 220-pound Tanney was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2012 NFL Draft. The well-traveled journeyman has spent time with the Chiefs (2012), Dallas Cowboys (2013), Cleveland Browns (2013), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014), Titans (2014), Buffalo Bills (2015), Indianapolis Colts (2015), and Titans again (2015–2018).

He surprisingly won the back-up quarterback job to Eli Manning in 2018, but was moved to third-string in 2019, being active for only one game. Tanney has only played in two regular-season games, coming off the bench for the Titans in 2015 and the Giants in 2019. He did not play well during the 2019 preseason, completing only 52.2 percent of his passes with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

JOSIAH TAUAEFA PLACED ON RESERVE/COVID-19 LIST …
Linebacker Josiah Tauaefa was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, which means he either tested positive for the virus or came into contact with someone who did. The Giants originally signed Tauaefa as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft. They then signed Tauaefa to the Practice Squad in September 2019 and the 53-man roster in October 2019. He played in 12 games with no starts as almost all of his playing time came on special teams.

Meanwhile, the first and only other Giant who was on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, wide receiver David Sills, has been cleared and has returned to the team. The 6’3”, 211-pound Sills was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants signed Sills to the Practice Squad in September 2019 after he was cut by the Bills. The Giants then signed him to the 53-man roster in mid-December. He did not play in a game however.