New York Giants should try to keep these free agents … for the right price

DL – Austin Johnson

Johnson arrived in East Rutherford in 2020, and made a legitimate impact along the defensive line the past two seasons.

A consistent gap-defender, Johnson was one of the New York Giants’ more consistent edge rushers over the past two seasons. Johnson produced three sacks, and 21 total quarterback pressures in 2021, playing alongside Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams both once again proved the value of a dominant defensive line, as their disruptive playmakers along the line of scrimmage proved critical to reaching — and the Rams winning, the Super Bowl.

The New York Giants’ roster has holes on both sides of the ball, but the defensive line has been one of the more consistent units in recent years. Keeping Johnson, and continuing to build out that group could prove critical to the New York Giants becoming relevant again in coming seasons.