Big Blue View
Dexter Lawrence needs help, and here are ways to give it to him
The New York Giants need help on their defensive line. Dexter Lawrence is one of the top players at his position, but the Giants failed to surround him with a solid complement and depth in 2024. New York traded Leonard Williams to the Seahawks, and A’Shawn Robinson signed with the Carolina Panthers, leaving Rakeem Nunez-Roches as the only proven player — other than Lawrence — in Andre Patterson’s defensive line room.
The room is full of late-day three picks and undrafted free agents: Elijah Chatman, Elijah Garcia, Jordon Riley, D.J. Davidson, Cory Durden, and Armon Watts, who suffered a devastating knee injury at the end of the season. Perhaps the lack of proven depth behind Lawrence is a testament to Patterson’s coaching ability for depth in other areas of the roster was necessary; still, it was clear that the defensive line was an issue heading into the 2024 season.
Teams knew to run the ball directly at the Giants when Lawrence was not on the field. After Lawrence’s injury, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen had to alter his defensive structure to sell out against the run — he added more bodies into the box and employed more 5-man fronts. Bowen’s linebackers have too much on their plate and need another reliable defensive lineman who can allow them to be less impeded.
The Giants also have a choice to cut ties with Nunez-Roches, the team’s second-best defensive lineman. I like “Nacho,” but he should operate as a fourth and, at best, third defensive lineman, not the number two guy. He led the position group with 608 snaps. New York could save $3.6 million if they release the 31-year-old Nunez-Roches, but would incur a $1.4 million dead cap hit.
The 2025 defensive line class is deep. GM Joe Schoen and the Giants will likely make investments into the position through the draft, but a veteran free agent also makes sense. Here are five names to consider.
It seems like forever ago when Hill was behind Williams, Lawrence, and Dalvin Tomlinson on the Giants’ depth chart. Hill was an asset for the Giants and held the rookie sack record (5.5 sacks) before Azeez Ojulari recorded eight in 2021. Hill was traded to Cincinnati for center Billy Price before the 2021 season. The Giants were thin on the offensive line due to Joe Judge’s training camp forcing Zach Fulton and Joe Looney into retirement.
Hill hit the ground running with the Bengals and was pivotal to Lou Anarumo’s defense on the Bengals’ Super Bowl run. The 29-year-old hasn’t slowed down and took his game to another level when he arrived in Cincinnati. He recorded 38 pressures in 2021, 45 in 2022, 42 in 2023, and 32 last year. He’s played more than 700 snaps in each of the last three seasons.
Hill earned 16 sacks in his time away from New York, with 19 tackles for a loss....
