During a segment on Good Morning Football, NFL running back Chase Edmonds made the case that the New York Giants have the best defensive line in football. Was it a hot take, or could he actually be onto something? Fans of both the G-Men and other teams were quick to tear into him and the organization after the segment, but is Edmonds really that far off? Let’s take a look at the unit as a whole and see if his claim holds any weight.
"Arguably they have the best defensive line unit in football" @ChaseEdmonds22 makes his case for the Giants going from worst to first 👇 pic.twitter.com/lEe9Ou9Scv
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 10, 2025
When you look at the pure talent of the position group, on paper, it's pretty easy to see why Edmonds said they are the best in the biz. The group is headlined by the best defensive tackle in the league in Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence had a good supporting cast last season, and it has only improved this offseason. While New York was top 10 in sacks with 45, the defense struggled to get off the field at crucial times, and when Lawrence came off the field, their interior unit was Swiss cheese.
Teams gashed them inside the tackles, and the talent drop-off was glaring when Lawrence was off the field. Opponents knew that once he came out, undrafted free agents like Elijah Chatman and late-round picks like DJ Davidson and Jordon Riley couldn’t replicate his run-stuffing presence. Lawrence would often be gassed from playing extra downs, which led to him being off the field more frequently due to exhaustion.
Giants defensive front might just be the most impressive in the NFL
New pieces in a big role
While the Giants like the potential of their young players, they’ve invested heavily in the position this offseason. They signed three proven, versatile veterans in Jeremiah Ledbetter, Roy Robertson-Harris, and, most notably, former Cowboy Chauncey Golston. They also drafted one of the top defensive tackles in this year’s class, selecting Darius Alexander in the third round. All three veterans bring the ability to play both inside and outside, boosting depth across the line.
Who will step up?
Big Blue spent a decent amount of money to lure Golston away from the Cowboys, so he’ll be counted on—alongside rookie Alexander—as a key contributor next season. Speaking of stepping up, the Giants have huge expectations for the edge group. Brian Burns was paid $141 million, so both fans and coaches expect him to perform like a top-tier pass rusher—8.5 sacks won’t cut it.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is entering a contract year, and after playing all 17 games and recording 11.5 sacks in 2023, his 2024 season was a letdown with just 5.5. They also added Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter in this year’s draft, and the expectations for him are sky-high.
The bar is set really high
The expectations for this group are massive. General manager Joe Schoen added pieces all over the defense, but with multiple veteran signings and two rookie additions, he’s clearly made it a priority to fix the line for good. If this group can live up to the hype, we might see the best defensive line the Giants—and their fans—have had since the days of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan.
When you have a lineup featuring Lawrence, Burns, Thibodeaux, Alexander, Golston, and Carter, opposing teams should dread lining up against that front. This defensive line has the potential to wreak havoc for all 17 games. NFL games are won up front on both sides of the ball—if this group can stop the run and consistently live in the backfield on passing downs, we could see the Giants playing meaningful football late in the season for the first time in years.