Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus ranked the 10 most improved position groups in the NFL this offseason and a revamped New York Giants defensive line was ranked first.
The Giants’ offseason has been far from quiet with a number of huge moves in free agency and a turbulent draft, but after a 2015 season in which the defensive line only racked up 18.5 sacks, Big Blue’s D-line in 2016 is poised to set records wrecking the quarterback.
Five of the seven defensive linemen registering sacks in 2015 are gone, with only Jason Pierre-Paul and fullback Nikita Whitlock staying. The top three sackers on the D-line last season were Robert Ayers, Cullen Jenkins, and Damontre Moore. Ayers signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jenkins wasn’t retained, and Moore was released before the end of the regular season for his inability to stop taking unacceptable 15-yard personal fouls.
With the First Pick
The Giants front office was aggressive in making sure that line was fortified in ’16, bringing in Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon (average 7.5 sacks per season) and New York Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison (league’s top run-stuffer). Johnathan Hankins returns from injury, and 2015 draft choice Owa Odighizuwa figures to see more significant playing time.
Though Big Blue didn’t bring in anyone on either line in the draft, they signed a handful of undrafted free agents like Notre Dame’s defensive ends Romeo Okwara (9 sacks his senior year) and Ishaq Williams (whose father is former Giants safety Shaun Williams), plus D-tackles Melvin Lewis from Kentucky, and Greg Milhouse from Campbell, whom we thought the Giants would consider picking in the later rounds.
Here’s what Jahnke had to say about the Giants expensive new-look defensive trench:
"“1. Giants’ defensive lineOld starters: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (81.1 overall grade in 2015), DE Robert Ayers (88.5), DT Jay Bromley (66.3), DT Cullen Jenkins (65.9)New starters: DE Olivier Vernon (92.5), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (81.1), DT Damon Harrison (91.9), DT Johnathan Hankins (77.5)The Giants take the top spot after they added two of the best free agents available (regardless of position). In 2015, New York tried 14 different players on the defensive line, with no player receiving more than 750 snaps. To remedy that shuffle, they signed former Dolphin Olivier Vernon, who averaged one sack, three hits, and three hurries over the second half of last season. They also inked former Jets NT Damon Harrison, who led all defensive tackles in run-stop percentage each of the last three seasons. When you throw in the return of Jonathan Hankins, who only played the first half of 2015, and Jason Pierre-Paul, who only played in the second half of the season, and the Giants—on paper—now have one of the top defensive lines in the NFL.”"
The G-Men hope to get back into the top-tier of teams in sacks like they were in 2014 (4th – 47), 2011 (tied 2nd – 48), 2010 (5th – 46), 2008 (6th – 42), and 2007 (1st – 53). Three of those seasons saw playoff berths with the 2010 team coming up one win short of the postseason.
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Needless to say, if the defensive front can muster more than 40 sacks over 16 games, the Giants’ chances of a championship run significantly increase. If you can get 15-20 combined sacks out of Vernon and JPP, you’d hope the remaining six or seven pass rushers can collect a couple sacks a piece.