It's not that the young kids can't do the job. It's just nice to have an accomplished veteran round, especially since some of those youngsters find themselves on the sideline nursing injuries.

The Giants' acquisition Sunday of Brandon Meriweather fits that exact description. The former first-round pick of the Patriots, most recently a Redskin, will likely have to step in as a starter in light of the weekend's disastrous 23-10 loss in Cincinnati, a setback that saw not one, but two rookie safeties sustain injuries.


Mykkele Thompson, the fifth-rounder, was the most serious. He's gone for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. He was hardly a lock to make the 53-man roster, but he had made marked progress in both coverage and special teams before the Bengals game.

Landon Collins was another story entirely. Slated as the Giants' starting strong safety because of his aggressiveness in the box, Collins went out on the second defensive snap of the preseason with an MCL sprain, an injury that could take up to four weeks to heal. Collins considers himself a fast healer, though, so if there is any good fortune to be had in this situation, it's that his availability for the Sept. 13 opener in Dallas would not be jeopardized.

Then again, these are the Giants, a team for which no hospital ward is too big. They've had entire positions destroyed before, and the fact that Thompson and Collins were injured in action and prospective starter Nat Berhe didn't even make the trip because of a calf injury that has basically wrecked his camp, and one can see why Jerry Reese had to sign Meriweather.

Now, the question is, what can Meriweather offer?

Start with the good news first. He has plenty of starting experience. The Patriots first-round pick of 2007 has started 68 of his 99 career games, including all 16 in 2009 and 13 in each of 2010 with New England and 2013 with Washington. He made the Pro Bowl in 2009 and '10.

He's more of a physical, run safety than coverage guy, and he loves to flatten people. Maybe a little too much for his own good. With two league suspensions for illegal hits and six violations of the rules about belting around defenseless receivers that cost him more than $100,000 in fines, Meriweather could quickly become a hot-button issue for fans and coaches alike. Jets receiver Brandon Marshall called for his banishment from the league in 2013. Game officials obviously take special note of the head-hunter whenever he's on the field.

Considering the current state of their deep middle defense, he won't do much good if his overly aggressive attitude costs him field time.

The down side is that he hasn't played a full season since 2010. Durability is a concern, especially at the advancing age of 31. He missed the Redskins' last four games of 2014 with a toe injury, and they released him despite 53 tackles, a career-high three sacks, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

Then there's the question of whether he can just outright play anymore. It took him a long time to find a job. If other teams thought he was still the player who played in Super Bowl XLII next to Rodney Harrison, someone would have snapped him up in the first phase of free agency. Even the Giants passed on him last week when they signed the younger ex-Raven Jeromy Miles, a five-year veteran with just three career starts.

So the signing does have an air of desperation about it. With converted slot cornerback Bennett Jackson and Cooper Taylor as the front-runners for the starting spots until at least Collins gets back, Meriweather at least adds depth. His knowledge of the game and his ability to call plays could turn him quickly into either the starter next to Collins or the first safety off the bench.

Or, he might not make the team at all if his wheels are shot.

Reese took a gamble here, one made out of desperation. But if nothing else, Meriweather represents a safety with experience, something they have needed since Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown took off in free agency and were never adequately replaced.

He's hit or miss. Given his playing style, the Giants can only hope he's more hit.