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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –** The Giants today reinforced a secondary that has been thinned by injuries when they signed veteran free agent safety Brandon Meriweather, a former first-round draft choice and two-time Pro Bowler.

To make room on the roster, the Giants waived kicker Chris Boswell.

In addition, rookie safety Mykkele Thompson was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn Achilles tendon on Friday night in the preseason opener in Cincinnati. Because Thompson is not a vested veteran, he will continue to count toward the Club's 90-man roster limit.

**>> 5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MERIWEATHER**

The Giants have lost several defensive backs to injuries, including safeties Landon Collins (knee, day to day), Nat Berhe (calf, day to day) and Thompson. In addition, four cornerbacks are currently on the shelf: Prince Amukamara (groin, day to day), Trumaine McBride (hamstring, day to day), Chykie Brown (knee, week to week) and Jayron Hosley (concussion protocol).

Meriweather, 5-11 and 204 pounds, has played in 99 regular-season games with 68 starts. His career totals include 402 tackles (277 solo), 15 interceptions, 6.0 sacks, nine passes defensed and three fumble recoveries.

In 2014, he started all 10 games in which he played for Washington. He finished with 53 tackles (34 solo), a career-high 3.0 sacks, 4 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Meriweather, 31, was a teammate of Jon Beason's at the University of Miami. The New England Patriots selected him with the 24th pick in the first round in 2007; Beason went 25th to the Carolina Panthers. In his four seasons with the Patriots, Meriweather played in all 64 regular-season games with 40 starts, and in five postseason games with three starts.

As a rookie, he played as a reserve in each of New England's first 18 games, including two in the postseason. Meriweather started the 19th game, Super Bowl XLII vs. the Giants, and was credited with three solo tackles and a pass defensed. But the Giants gave the Patriots their only loss of the season, 17-14.

The following year, he started the final 11 games of the season after Rodney Harrison was placed on injured reserve. Meriweather led the Patriots with four interceptions, tying the highest
total by a Patriots safety since Lawyer Milloy had six picks in 1998. His first career interception was on a Brett Favre pass. Meriweather ranked third on the team with 79 tackles (57 solo), a total that led all Patriots defensive backs.

In 2009, Meriweather started all 16 games at strong safety, plus one in the postseason, and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. He finished third on the team with 82 tackles (53 solo) and had a career-high five interceptions. Against Tampa Bay in London's Wembley Stadium, Meriweather had two picks, returning one 39 yards for a touchdown, and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Meriweather's final season with the Patriots was 2010, when he started 13 games and again played in the Pro Bowl. He had 67 tackles (48 solo) and three interceptions.

Meriweather was released by the Patriots on Sept. 3, 2011 and signed the following day by the Chicago Bears. In his only season in Chicago, Meriweather played in 11 games with four starts and had 32 tackles (19 solo).

On March 15, 2012, Meriweather signed with Washington. In his first season there, he started all 13 games in which he appeared and had 69 tackles (53 solo) and two interceptions.

Meriweather was at Miami for five seasons because he received an additional year as a medical hardship when his freshman season ended after three games because of a high ankle sprain. With the Hurricanes, he played in 52 games with 31 starts and had 293 tackles (182 solo) and seven interceptions. Meriweather was first-team All-ACC and second-team All-America as a senior.

A native of central Florida, Meriweather attended Apopka High School, where he led the football team to the Florida Class 6A state championship as a senior in 2001, when he registered 115 tackles, six interceptions, and scored four touchdowns.