Nobody batted an eye when the New York Giants let interior defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches leave in free agency. A few months later, they may be wishing they had the veteran back.
Nuñez-Roches is long gone after signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year deal. He missed significant time for the Giants last season, but he was a key part of their interior defensive line rotation when healthy.
After losing multiple players at the position this offseason, it sure would be nice to have the 32-year-old back in the building for 2026.
The New York Giants may regret letting DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches leave in free agency
The veteran defender spent the last three seasons with the G-Men, playing a total of 1,311 defensive snaps. He was a full-time starter for most of that stretch, typically lining up as a 3-technique defensive tackle. He produced just 5.5 total sacks and 101 tackles during his time in New York, but he was a trustworthy piece of the rotation up front.
Nuñez-Roches isn't the only interior defender the Giants lost this offseason, though. Obviously, Dexter Lawrence II was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the tenth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Big Blue also lost D.J. Davidson, who signed with the Washington Commanders. Then, presumed starter Roy Robertson-Harris suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear.
While the Giants have patched the hole on the interior with multiple veteran signings, most notably D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, they're still relatively thin at the position. The G-Men are relying heavily on second-year defender Darius Alexander to play a major role, despite his disappointing rookie campaign.
Behind Alexander, veterans like Leki Fotu and Sam Roberts will need to contribute. Fotu has struggled heavily in run defense in recent years, and Roberts logged just 102 defensive snaps for the Atlanta Falcons last season. This isn't exactly the depth you would hope to have on the roster heading into training camp.
If general manager Joe Schoen could turn back the clock to early March, he might want to work out a new deal with Nuñez-Roches. The 32-year-old defender might not be a dominant presence on the interior, but he could at least provide passable play for the Giants.
Now, New York is crossing its fingers in hopes that an already thin group can hold up for 17 games without tanking the entire defense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google