Giants Place Ryan Connelly on IR; Claim DE Chris Peace Off Waivers

Here's why the Giants opted to replace Connelly, an inside linebacker, with Peace, an edge rusher.

Patricia Traina | Sep 30, 2019

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Hours after receiving the devastating news of rookie inside linebacker Ryan Connelly's season-ending ACL injury, the Giants placed their fifth-round draft pick on injured reserve and filled his roster spot with an outside linebacker/defensive end, Chris Peace.

Peace, 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, signed with the Chargers on April 27, 2019, as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia. He appeared in the Chargers' Week 1 win over the Colts, having played three snaps on special teams.

At Virginia, the 23-year-old Peace played in 50 career games, logging 198 tackles (94 solo), 29.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, four forced fumbles, an interception, and five passes defensed.

He earned third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors by leading All ACC linebackers with 7.5 sacks during his senior season (2018).

The Giants are hoping to have one or both of inside linebackers Alec Ogletree (hamstring) and Tae Davis (concussion) back this weekend.

However, edge rusher Lorenzo Carter (neck) was injured in Sunday's Week 4 win over Washington, so the addition of Peace provides some reinforcement for the Giants at that spot.

“We’re going to kind of count it as game soreness at this point,” head coach Pat Shurmur said of Carter's injury, adding, “we’re hopeful he’ll be back.”

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Published Sep 30, 2019

PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.