Giants Betting Big on Defense to Break Free from NFC East Basement
General manager Joe Schoen has gone all-in on rebuilding the New York Giants’ defense, hoping a major investment on that side of the ball can finally lift the team out of its long-standing slump and back into NFC East contention.
While a division title has remained elusive since their Super Bowl run in 2011, many around the league believe this offseason marks one of the most impactful for the Giants in recent memory. Although still considered underdogs in the division race, New York may be closer to turning the corner—thanks largely to a revamped, potentially dominant defense.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently projected the Giants’ defense to crack the NFL’s top 10 this season, citing their formidable front as the driving force.
“I picked them entirely because I believe their defensive line can completely take over games and wreak havoc on quarterbacks,” Kimes explained, singling out the Giants as the final pick in her defensive rankings.
The Giants doubled down on pass rushing this offseason, returning to a tried-and-true formula. Already boasting stars like Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns, they added a major piece by drafting pass-rushing phenom Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick.
“It’s a nightmare,” Kimes said of the Giants’ new-look defensive line.
New York didn’t stop up front, either. They made strategic additions to the secondary, bringing in safety Javon Holland, cornerback Paulson Adebo, and rookie Dru Phillips. Kimes also praised the pairing of Holland with rookie safety Tyler Nubin, who brings physicality and box presence to complement Holland’s coverage skills.
Despite battling injuries in 2024, the Giants’ pass rush still made noise, ranking eighth in sacks, fifth in sack rate, and 13th in pass rush win rate. The major question mark lies in the secondary, which struggled mightily last season. The Giants picked off just five passes—the fewest in the league—and allowed 6.5 yards per passing attempt, tied for the sixth-worst.
But if the revamped secondary can hold up just long enough for the defensive line to disrupt opposing quarterbacks, the Giants could be on the verge of something big.
“Every year there’s a defense that just goes nuclear with the pass rush,” Kimes added. “Why not the Giants?”
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