There will be endless transactions in the coming days as the Aug. 30 cutdown deadline looms and rosters shrink from 90 players to 53. Opportunities will present themselves for the New York Giants (and the rest of the NFL) to pick up scraps from other teams.
As the saying goes, one person's trash is another's treasure, so front offices must keep their heads on a swivel. A chance to strike can arise at a moment's notice, and the Giants should be leaving no stone unturned. They can make meaningful upgrades, specifically at defensive tackle — because Darius Alexander doesn't look ready to fill Dexter Lawrence's shoes, to put it mildly.
Trading Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in April obviously came with its perks (hello, Francis Mauigoa), though his departure left a massive void. A chasm that many expected Alexander to help fill, albeit to no avail through two preseason games. The sudden reality puts the Giants in a tricky spot heading into 2026, one they can try to mitigate with an external addition.
Beggars can't be choosers, especially on such short notice with Week 1 just around the corner. Nevertheless, the three names below profile as viable prospective reinforcements (and competition) for Alexander.
3 possible reinforcements for Darius Alexander Giants must monitor
3. McKinnley Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals
Usually, the Bengals are taking defensive tackles from the G-Men. First, and on a much smaller scale, it was B.J. Hill in 2021. As previously mentioned, the two clubs also pulled off one of the biggest deals of this offseason, rerouting Lawrence to the Queen City.
Jackson, a third-round selection in 2024, can be the latest member of the Giants-Bengals DT pipeline; only this time, New York's on the receiving end. He looks like the odd man out between Cincy's investment in Lawrence, veteran T.J. Slaton's presence and seventh-round rookie Landon Robinson's emergence.
For what it's worth, Jackson asked out of Cincinnati last season, but his request hasn't been granted. He appears to be falling even further out of favor and could make for an intriguing reclamation project.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 330 pounds, Jackson has the size and explosiveness to develop into a formidable run-stopper. As Giants fans know, no one allowed more yards per carry in 2025 (5.3), and only the Bengals surrendered more rushing yards per game (145.3). That was with Lawrence in the lineup for 17 contests too.
2. DeWayne Carter, Buffalo Bills
From one 2024 third-rounder to another, Carter finds himself in an oddly similar predicament. He's on the verge of being left off a crowded depth chart, just like Jackson, opening the door for New York to swoop in.
Availability has been Carter's downfall with the Bills. He missed multiple games due to a wrist injury that required surgery in his inaugural pro campaign and suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last summer. The Duke product has shown flashes of a promising pass-rusher, albeit a small sample size.
In 11 healthy career games, Carter's recorded eight total pressures, five hurries and three quarterback hits. He has the power and upside to be a disruptor along the front line when right.
1. Folorunso Fatukasi, Las Vegas Raiders
While Jackson and Carter are more hypothetical contributors than actual ones, Fatukasi offers the Giants an established veteran worth watching. The 31-year-old joined the Raiders in August as a late training camp arrival, yet finds himself on the bubble.
Las Vegas isn't in a position to cut some of its recent draft picks, which may render Fatukasi expendable by default. Big Blue has already signed one ex-Raiders D-lineman in recent months à la Leki Fotu: Why not tap back into the well?
Fatukasi is a known commodity who's started for several different franchises, namely the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and the hometown rival New York Jets. He's notably a Far Rockaway native, too, so landing with the Giants would be a homecoming of sorts.
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