The NY Giants seem to always have a plan for their defensive tackles. Unfortunately, it may mean not keeping the whole unit together in 2021.
As much as they may want to, the NY Giants can’t bring everyone back in 2021. The front office has many key decisions to make about the roster and no position group will be more affected by those decisions than the defensive line. Two of the Giants’ top players and impending free agents are both defensive tackles in Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson.
The decision to figure out is who to keep and who will likely test free agency.
It’s likely one will leave, while the other stays and it seems very unlikely both players will either leave together or come back together. It’s not financially realistic to expect the Giants to afford both players as they need to make decisions at other key positions too.
Many fans calling for a Tomlinson extension must be reminded of the Giants‘ precedent with defensive tackles. There is a long history and overwhelming amount of evidence to believe that Dalvin Tomlinson will be replaced, this decision will not kill the defense, and history shows us the Giants can easily replace Tomlinson on the defensive line and get comparable or even better production.
Here, we breakdown the team’s impending decision on their free agent defensive tackles and what they should do at the position.
NY Giants have a distinct precedent with handling their defensive tackles.
Since the 2000s, the NY Giants have had a relatively consistent (and widely successful) plan at defensive tackle.
New York has had both current options at the spot and also replenished the position with depth and having replacement options within the unit.
In the 2000s, the New York Giants deployed a 4-3 scheme for several years. This meant the NY defenses had two big, stout defensive tackles in between the two pass rushers who clogged up space and prevented holes from occurring. Even better, the team got great production from their defensive tackles in both the pass-rushing and run-stopping departments.
Starting in 2004, the Giants had Fred Robbins anchor the interior of the d-line in the mid-2000s and Barry Cofield joined him in 2006. Robbins came to New York as a free agent while Cofield was drafted in the 4th round by the Giants. Cofield racked up 10.5 sacks along with a Super Bowl title while Robbins gave the Giants six strong seasons of production with 28.5 sacks along with 5.5 sacks in three consecutive seasons. Robbins also helped bring the Lombardi Trophy back to East Rutherford in 2007.
Both players left in consecutive years with Robbins leaving in 2009 and Cofield in 2010. To replace Robbins, the Giants went to free agency and signed two veteran defensive tackles in Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard. To replace Cofield, the team drafted Linval Joseph in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft. Joseph gave New York nine sacks in four seasons while helping eat up space on the Giants Super Bowl run in 2011.
As one tandem left, the Giants hoped that drafting two defensive tackles in back-to-back drafts would pan out. Unfortunately, the decision didn’t pan out as Marvin Austin never figured it out and was cut after 2 seasons.
The Giants’ trio of Canty, Joseph, and Rocky Bernard formed a great rotation. Canty racked up nine sacks in four seasons, while Bernard had five sacks of his own in four seasons. The big three up front helped shut down Tom Brady and the Patriots in their second Super Bowl matchup and they all helped contribute to the team’s world championship in five years.
Both Canty and Bernard left the team after 2012. With Joseph set to hit free agency the next season, the front office boldly took Johnathan Hankins in the 2nd round of the 2013 draft to presumably take Joseph’s spot as the team expected him to cash in on a large deal in free agency.
Hankins gave the Giants four solid seasons. He was paired with depth players thrust into larger, starting roles with names such as Mike Patterson, Markus Kuhn, and Cullen Jenkins. The team went out and nabbed Damon “Snacks” Harrison from the Jets in 2016 for big money. Snacks had an All-Pro season in his first year with the Giants and gave the team 2.5 strong seasons before being traded to Detroit in 2018. After 2016, Hankins elected not to resign with the Giants after a strong season and he signed with the then-Oakland Raiders.
To replace Hankins, Jerry Reese took Dalvin Tomlinson in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft. Dalvin has given the organization four strong seasons as his currently pending free agency status looms. He has blossomed into a Team Captain and a leader on the defense who’s also improved his pass-rushing skills.
The Giants have invested heavily into the interior defensive line spot since Dave Gettleman’s reign as the General Manager. Gettleman drafted Dex Lawrence #19th overall in the 2019 draft and then proceeded to trade two mid-round picks for Leonard Williams amidst a 2-6 record and losing season.
This brings us to the 2021 offseason where the Giants again have key decisions to make at the defensive tackle spot. Do they resign Leonard Williams for presumably a large, $15+ million deal? Or, do they go cheaper and stay loyal to their draft product in Dalvin Tomlinson at an expected $10 million rate? Is it financially feasible to keep both?
We look at every part of the decision here.
Is Leonard Williams set to cash in coming off a breakout season?
You can bet some good money that Leonard Williams is going to get paid handsomely this offseason.
Now, the only questions are how many years will he get, and how many zeros will be at the end of his yearly salary?
Williams had his career season in a make-or-break contract year that he played on the franchise tag as essentially a “prove-it deal”.
The Big Cat totaled 11.5 sacks, 14 tackles for a loss, 30 QB hits, and a game-winning fumble recovery, all career-highs. Williams was the defense’s best pass rusher and one of the most consistent players on the roster all season. He single-handedly disrupted games and was a main reason and key figure in all six of the Giants’ wins in 2020.
Williams is expected to earn a multi-year contract with an average salary likely going north of $15 million. The Giants couldn’t come to terms last season with Williams and now his going rate is only going to skyrocket after such an impressive reason.
With that, the Giants really need to do whatever possible to retain Williams.
Although he wasn’t All-Pro or a virtual Pro Bowler, he was clearly a top-five most disruptive defensive tackle in the NFL this season. Watch the tape and check the stats, both don’t disappoint with Leo’s 2020 campaign.
The Giants are going to be running a multiple defense again with base principles of a 3-4. New York can’t afford to lose Williams to another team and leave the team with no proven pass rushers from the inside of the line. Leo can expect to earn a three to four-year contract with the average price likely at $16-$19 million per season.
The NY Giants would be smart to pay Williams that money even if it’s very costly. They already sunk several assets into Williams with a 3rd and 4th round pick along with the franchise tag in 2020. Leo has said he wants to stay and the Giants openly want him back. It would look very foolish on Dave Gettleman’s resume as team GM if he lost Williams knowing the serious risk of it happening and giving up so many sunk assets anyways.
Will the NY Giants prioritize Dalvin Tomlinson? Should they?
The NY Giants should absolutely want to keep Dalvin Tomlinson.
He is a team captain, a quiet but well-respected leader who stays out of trouble and does his work every day by example, and he is a very important player in the Giants defense.
Tomlinson is only 26 and still in the prime of his playing career. His best days of football may still be ahead and he’s gotten better and better each season. He is the model of durability and has started all 64 games in four seasons in New York.
Dalvin’s stats improved over time and he’s now a run-stuffing monster with some underrated pass-rushing skill in his arsenal. His season numbers have increased from one sack, one QB hit, and one tackle for a loss in his 2017 rookie season to two straight seasons with 3.5 sacks and over seven tackles for a loss and nine or more QB hits.
Tomlinson is better known for his run-stopping ability rather than his pass-rushing skills. He is a bit of a throwback at defensive tackle; a road grading, run-stopping defender who doesn’t offer as much pop in racking up sacks and pressures. He is reliable, diligent, and sturdy as they come.
The question bearing is whether or not the two sides can reach fair terms on a deal to keep Dalvin in New York for more years to come. With the salary cap dropping this offseason, Tomlinson may be inclined to sign a one-year or short-term deal in free agency to make even more money in an offseason or two when the salary cap is more normal and goes back to increase in size.
Who stays? Who goes? History gives us some clues.
It’s never easy making difficult decisions with impending free agents. It’s even more difficult when your top two free agents are both at the same position and it’s one of your more proven position units.
This is the conundrum the New York Giants are facing.
Does New York try to retain both and pass on external free agents? Do they stick with the homegrown Tomlinson who’s been nothing but a model teammate and person all throughout his four-year career? Or, does Dave Gettleman save face on the trade he made himself for Leo Williams and extend him?
The reality is, it’s a very difficult situation for the Giants to figure out right now. Williams will undoubtedly be more expensive, but that’s the premium price you get for a better, more accomplished player who also is more pass-rush-oriented. Tomlinson is a very smart guy who once turned down Yale to play in the SEC: He knows his worth and value to teams. Tomlinson will likely hit free agency which he deserves to at least explore. He deserves the opportunity to hit the open market and boost his worth for his next deal.
The Giants should do whatever it takes to avoid letting Leonard Williams hit the free agent market. He will likely have many suitors as he was an elite interior pass rusher this season. His price tag hovering around $20 million and many teams will entice Williams with money, better teams, and a new start.
Both Tomlinson and Williams have made it clear they both want to be in New York for good. Neither wants to leave. It won’t be that simple. The two players have said that they’re not looking for money in free agency. Tomlinson implied he would consider a hometown discount to stay with the Giants while Leonard Williams swore that for him it’s about respect, not the money.
Ultimately, the Giants need to make this key decision over the next month or so. It’s highly unlikely both players stay with NY. Unless Dalvin Tomlinson gives the NY Giants a huge discount or takes a cheaper, short-term deal, it seems unlikely he will remain with the organization.
My prediction is that the team opts to go with Leonard Williams and they will offer Dalvin Tomlinson a deal he will respectfully decline. I expect Williams’ contract to be in the neighborhood of 2-3 years for around $17-$19 million per season. Young, proven defensive tackles who can sack the quarterback and is in their prime rarely hit the open market. That seems reasonable for the former 5th overall pick who looks to prove he still has more in the tank and can keep building upon his impressive 2020 season.
I expect Tomlinson to see a nice payday around $10-$12 million. He is a stout player who can lock down the interior of any defense. He is versatile and can likely slot in and play any position on a 3-4 defensive line and either gap on a 4-3 defense.
It just doesn’t seem in the cards for the team to keep both players. They have too many pressing needs at too many other positions with greater importance. When it comes down to it, the Giants should keep the better player in Leonard Williams.
The Giants have attacked the unit many times since Tomlinson’s arrival in 2017. Between drafting B.J. Hill in the 3rd round of the 2018 draft, drafting Dexter Lawrence #19th overall in 2019, and then trading midseason for Leo Williams, and that tells me that the team is more invested in Leonard Williams than they are in Dalvin Tomlinson. Williams’ production and impact on the line would be irreplaceable this season if he left. If Dalvin walks, Patrick Graham can deploy Hill, Lawrence, and another free agent or draft pick next to Williams to still have a good group of defensive linemen.
As history has shown us, the Giants have long drafted and replaced their defensive tackles. Not one drafted defensive tackle has been designed or gotten a second contract with the New York Giants. The team has a defensive tackle who flashed as a rookie in B.J. Hill. His time waiting in the wings may pay off if he can replace Tomlinson’s production. With Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Hill, that’s still a nice trio of young tackles who all have different skills and abilities that complement each other well. They will still add another defensive tackle too through the draft or through free agency with a grizzled veteran (see Austin Johnson).
It’s a complicated issue the Giants need to navigate. They can’t afford to get it wrong and they need to make a sound decision with handling both free agents. In the end, they will likely be able to only keep one and Williams should be the player to stay in New York.