#3 – 3-4 Defensive End
The New York Giants are expected to rotate from a 3-4 to a 4-3 to a nickel defense throughout the course of a game under their new defensive coordinator. But Bettcher’s base defense in Arizona was a 3-4 front.
The Giants have added versatile players that fit Bettcher’s scheme to their roster this offseason. But Big Blue still has multiple starting holes that need to be filled on the defensive side of the ball. One of the most glaring holes on New York’s defense is 3-4 defensive end.
Harrison is projected to move back to nose tackle in Bettcher’s base defense. Dalvin Tomlinson is expected to bump outside as one of the team’s two starting defensive ends. But who will start opposite Tomlinson remains unknown.
Josh Mauro was the top candidate to fill the starting role. His four-game suspension has left the door open for someone else.
Kerry Wynn, Josh Banks, and Robert Thomas are all in the mix. The Giants also added two rookie defensive linemen, B.J. Hill and RJ McIntosh, in the 2018 draft.
Wynn and Hill are likely the favorites to start opposite Tomlinson at the outset of the regular season. This position battle may not be the most exciting. But it will be crucial to the team’s overall success on defense.