Photos of LB Jasper Brinkley's career with the Cowboys and Vikings
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants today will hold their first full-scale practice in preparation for the Sunday night season opener in Dallas with a new addition to the roster, linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who was released Monday – by the Cowboys.
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Brinkley, 6-1 and 252 pounds, has played in 79 regular-season games with 33 starts for Minnesota (2009-12 and 2014) and Arizona (2013). He missed the 2011 season because of a hip injury he suffered in the preseason. Brinkley has also played in three postseason games.
His career totals include 270 tackles (189 solo), a sack, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles in the regular season and 15 tackles (11 solo) in the postseason. He also has 32 special teams tackles.
In 2014, Brinkley played in all 16 games for the fourth time in his career, with 11 starts for the Vikings. He had 85 tackles (63 solo) and his only career sack when he tackled Detroit's Matthew Stafford for a 10-yard loss on Oct. 12. He also had a forced fumble and a blocked punt vs. Carolina on Nov. 30, plus three special teams tackles.
Brinkley entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice by the Vikings (150th pick overall) from the University of South Carolina in 2009. As a rookie he played in 16 games with four starts and had 32 tackles (25 solo).
The following season, he played in every game in a reserve role and had a career-high 17 special teams tackles. After sitting out the 2011 season, Brinkley returned the next year to play in every game with 15 starts and post a career-best 117 tackles (74 solo).
Brinkley signed with Arizona on March 14, 2013, and in his only season with the Cardinals, played in 15 games with three starts and finished with 30 tackles (22 solo). After his release in February, Brinkley returned to the Vikings for the 2014 season. He joined the Cowboys on March 16, but was released before playing in a regular-season game.
Brinkley started all 30 games in which he played at South Carolina. He was an all-state player at Thompson (Ga.) High School.
*The Giants also filled the final two openings on their practice squad with quarterback G.J. Kinne and linebacker Gerald Rivers.
