Mike Patterson Signing: Veteran defensive tackle returns to New York Giants

At the same time the New York Giants were officially announcing the signing of cornerback Zack Bowman to a one-year deal, the team announced the re-signing of veteran defensive tackle Mike Patterson.

Patterson, 30, spent last season with the Giants after spending the first eight years of his NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played in all 16 games, with 23 tackles.

With Linval Joseph and Justin Tuck having left via free agency, Patterson provides depth along the interior of the defensive line. He joins Cullen Jenkins, Johnathan Hankins and Markus Kuhn at the defensive tackle position.

Re-signing Patterson in no way precludes the Giants from taking a defensive tackle early in the 2014 NFL Draft, but it certainly lessens any urgency the team may have felt to do so. Patterson ended the 2013 season with a +2.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including +6.4 in run defense. He did, however, seem to wear down as he scored in negative numbers the final four weeks of the season.

Still, a smart depth move by GM Jerry Reese and the Giants.