Big Blue View
Burns was a full go after a scary collision on Friday, and he’s feeling good about the defense
The New York Giants are expecting big things from their defense in 2025.
They have a tremendous amount invested in every level of their defense. Their secondary has both high-priced free agents as well as highly drafted players on their rookie contracts. Their linebacking corps has free agent Bobby Okereke and breakout former fifth-round draftee Micah McFadden.
Most exciting, however, is their their defensive line which boasts four first round picks: Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Brian Burns.
Burns has become a leader on the Giants’ defense since the team traded for him last offseason, so it was worth paying attention when he spoke to the media after the first padded practice on Monday.
Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo is quickly becoming a fan favorite, and Burns had the pleasure of playing against the rookie when he got reps with the starters.
For his part, Skattebo told Ed Valentine that contact is probably his favorite thing on the field.
Burns was asked about Skattebo from his perspective, and he definitely seemed to like what he saw from the rookie.
“He showed he got a little dog,” Burns said. “I don’t know about initiation, but he showed he got dog. He runs tough, he runs behind his pads. I got to get back and watch the film. I didn’t really get a head-to-head with him yet, but from what I hear, alright, we’ll see.
“But I like his dog. I like that he got that edge to him and I feel like he’s (going to) be about what he says, so I like that about him.”
Moving on to the defense itself, Burns spoke about building camaraderie with the the rest of the defense. He noted that this is his second year with Thibodeaux and Lawrence, and first with Carter, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Darius Alexander. According to Burns, getting the reps to build that comradery is important, but so to is communicating with the whole defense.
“I’m having a lot more communication with them just because I want the whole picture of the defense,” Burns said.
It’s easy to think of the defensive front as just going forward, but defenses often ask edge defenders to drop in coverage as well as need secondary players to come up to fill gaps in run defense. Understanding everyone’s role is important to raising the level of the whole defense, as well as the play of individual players.
“I’m trying to take my game to another level and that is understanding other positions and understanding why we are doing certain things,” Burns said. “Me and (safety Jevón) Holland talk a bit, me and (inside linebacker) Bobby (Okereke) talk a bit, and then sometimes I’m in certain fits with them that they got to be able to depend on me and know I know I’m going to do my job. We do have those conversations...
