EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In their continued effort to find healthy answers at the safety position, the New York Giants have reached out to former Giants safety Stevie Brown, who was released by the Houston Texans on Friday.

A source with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that there had been contact already and that the Giants were planning to have Brown in for a workout in the days following Saturday's preseason game against the Jets. The Giants aren't the only team trying to make such plans with Brown, but Brown told Anita Marks of 98.7 ESPN radio in New York that he hopes to return to the Giants.

Brown intercepted eight passes for the Giants in 2012, but missed all of 2013 following an ACL tear. He began the season as a starting safety in 2014 but didn't play well and lost his job in Week 4 to Quintin Demps. He played better as the season went on and regained that starting job, but in spite of the Giants' needs at the position, they did not re-sign him when he became a free agent in March. He went instead to Houston, but he didn't impress enough there to make that team and was released Friday so he could pursue other opportunities.

The Giants drafted two safeties -- Landon Collins and Mykkele Thompson. Thompson is out for the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the first preseason game. Collins is just back from a knee injury that kept him out of last week's game, but he's projected to start as a rookie at strong safety. Safeties Bennett Jackson (knee), Justin Currie (ankle) and Nat Berhe (calf) are all out with serious injuries, likely for the season. Veterans Brandon Meriweather and Jeromy Miles are options to start along with Collins, but if the Giants do sign Brown, he would join the competition for that other starting spot.