The Giants were in need of a safety even before they declined to apply the franchise tag to Landon Collins and watched him sign a megadeal with the rival Redskins. The need for two safeties took the Giants to an unusual place, as on Tuesday they agreed to terms with Antoine Bethea, an accomplished player who is 34 years old.

Set to enter his 14th NFL season, Bethea did start all 16 games for the Cardinals in 2018, but he is certainly at an advanced age for a defensive back. He turns 35 in July and played in Arizona in 2017 for James Bettcher, currently the Giants defensive coordinator. Bethea that season had a career-high five interceptions, and no doubt that resonated when it came time to find a stopgap player at a position of need.

The Giants signed Bethea to a two-year contract. He is a three-time Pro Bowler, most recently in 2014, and is expected to move immediately into a starting role with his fourth NFL team.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bethea was the most efficient pass-rushing safety in the league last season, with 12 total pressures on 42 pass-rush snaps. Bethea as a rookie won a Super Bowl with the Colts following the 2006 season, starting 14 games as a teammate of Peyton Manning. Now, 13 years later, he joins a team with Eli Manning, 38, at quarterback.

Bethea can play strong safety and free safety, and his durability is impressive. He has appeared in 193 regular-season games (184 starts) and played in all 16 games in a season nine times in 13 years. He went seven consecutive seasons without missing a start.

Bethea spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the Colts, then three years with the 49ers and the past two years with the Cardinals, rarely coming off the field last season. He was released last week by Arizona.

This is not exactly a move to build a defense around. Collins is 25 years old and is a player to secure for the present and future, but the Giants did not value him as a star safety the way the Redskins did. Bethea will likely compete for a starting job on a Giants defense in need of help in many areas.

In what seems to be an annual rite of late winter, the Giants will also bring back Zak DeOssie, their 34-year old long-snapper, on a one-year deal. DeOssie arrived in 2007 and has two Super Bowl rings, appearing in 188 games in his 12-year career.