The New York Giants’ defensive line is shaping up to be one of the most exciting groups in football. After over a decade of searching to recapture that explosion off the edge, a mix of Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Abdul Carter is enough to keep an opposing quarterback up all night.
And this doesn’t account for the less “flashy” names like Darius Alexander, Roy Robertson-Harris, Chauncey Golston, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Big Blue is returning to its roots that netted them two Super Bowls in five years, and Thibodeaux likened the group’s dynamic to an iron sharpens iron mentality.
"It's going to be a great opportunity for all of us,” Thibodeaux told Newsday Sports’ Evan Barnes. “It's gonna be a race to the quarterback....we're definitely gonna be nail-biting to see who gets that sack."
Kayvon Thibodeaux's pass-rushing proposition is straight nightmare fuel for opposing QBs
This isn't your typical recess race. This is a full-on sprint — a blueprint for sheer chaos in the backfield, reminiscent of the game-wrecking accomplishments of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Osi Umenyiora that brought two Lombardi trophies to East Rutherford.
Every snap will serve as a reminder that pressure is coming from all over the defense, and in a division with Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, and Jayden Daniels, that is invaluable. And after facing the unit, Justin Fields had high praise for the Giants' defensive front.
The No. 5 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Oregon amassed just 5.5 sacks in 2024, but recorded 11.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2023. According to Pro Football Focus, his 72.0 pass rush grade from last season ranked 35th among all pass-rushers, so now that he has more help on the defensive line, those numbers are poised to ascend. And he is hungry for a breakout campaign.
The internal competition the 24-year-old talked about isn’t just a matter of pride, it’s designed to elevate everyone in the defensive line room. In the modern NFL, a strong pass rush wins games, and this group in New York is ready to turn heads.
Meanwhile, in his first season in New York, Burns recorded 8.5 sacks, with an 82.5 pass rush grade, and Carter amassed 12.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in his final season at Penn State before being selected No. 3 overall in April. And both the Florida State product and the 22-year-old rookie impressed in joint practice with the Jets, which has seen both stars be praised for their leadership.
Depth matters in today’s NFL, and Big Blue has it in spades. This defensive line is a machine, and this unit has several key cogs in the rotation. If anyone will enjoy Sundays this year, it’ll be defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
Week 1 is just three weeks away, and this unit is back and built to wreak havoc week in and week out.