Giants have added beef this offseason
Dexter Lawrence is one of a kind, a human wrecking ball who does things no 340-ish pound man should be able to do. Some people believe the New York Giants’ Pro Bowler is the best defensive tackle in football.
As great as he is, though, Lawrence cannot be a one-man defensive line. He also cannot play every snap of every game for 17 weeks.
It was painfully obvious last season that, after losing veterans Leonard Williams and A’Shawn Robinson from the defensive line and not truly adding any significant players, Lawrence did not have enough help on the interior of the defensive line.
After failing to do anything substantive on the defensive line during the 2024 offseason, GM Joe Schoen set out to course-correct this offseason. Let’s see if the Giants’ defensive line should be better or worse in 2025.
Key additions: Chauncey Golston, Roy Robertson-Harris, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Darius Alexander
Key losses: Armon Watts
Roster
Elijah Chatman, D.J. Davidson, Cory Durden, Elijah Garcia, Chauncey Golston, Dexter Lawrence, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Jordon Riley, Roy Robertson-Harris, Darius Alexander
More coverage
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants quarterbacks
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants wide receivers
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants running backs
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants tight ends
- Better or worse? New York Giants offensive line
Why they could be better
There is undeniably more depth on the line than perhaps at any time in the Schoen-Daboll era.
A year after adding only undrafted free agent Elijah Chatman to the line, Schoen was aggressive. The third-round pick used on Darius Alexander was the highest draft pick used on a pure defensive lineman in Schoen’s four seasons as general manager. The three-year, $18 million contract ($12 million guaranteed) was his biggest free agent defensive line signing in those four seasons. Veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter were signed for rotational depth. Rakeem Nunez-Roches, a rotational player thought to be a potential cap casualty, has — to this point — been retained.
The Giants did find a couple of young players last season — Chatman and Elijah Garcia — who can be useful parts of a successful defensive line.
There should be true competition for both roster spots and playing time, and far more real help for Dexter Lawrence than he has had since Leonard Williams was dealt to the Seattle Seahawks at the 2023 trade deadline.
Why they could be worse
Unless Lawrence is injured early in the season and misses extended time I don’t see how the defensive line can regress from a season ago. Mike Clay of ESPN projects the line to be a top 10 group in the NFL.
Final thoughts
Schoen deserves “kudos” for aggressively working to upgrade the defensive line this offseason. Question is, why did it take him four offseasons to make that a priority?
