Giants Counting on One of NFL's Top Passing Rushing Duos to Turbocharge Defense

According to a new ESPN ranking, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns give the Giants the seventh-best pass-rushing duo.

East Rutherford, NJ -- July 24, 2024 -- Outside linebackers, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux during the first day of training camp for the 2024 New York Giants. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Coming off a 6-11 season, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen needed to accomplish a few tasks in the offseason to get the franchise back on track. 

One of the top objectives was improving the pass rush. The Giants had failed to consistently pressure the quarterback for several seasons, and it was no different in 2023. 

Kayvon Thibodeaux, their first-round pick from 2022, broke out onto the scene with 11.5 sacks, while All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence again displayed his dominance, totaling 4.5 sacks and a whopping 65 pressures. Despite the production from these two, the Giants still couldn't affect the quarterback enough.

Schoen made a blockbuster trade with the Panthers, acquiring star edge rusher Brian Burns to add to their strong defensive front. Burns and Thibodeaux on the edge have been a major talking point this summer for the Giants, who are expected to improve mightily in the pass rush category.

Not surprisingly, Burns and Thibodeaux ranked seventh on ESPN’s best pass rushing duo list.

"The model is projecting Burns' first season with the Giants to result in a sack increase after he was dealt from Carolina this past offseason," wrote ESPN's Seth Walder, who compiled the list. 

"Burns has been a steady performer at a level just below the elite pass rushers, maxing out at 12.5 sacks in 2022. He managed only eight last season, though playing on a bad Panthers team that was rarely ahead contributed to the lower total."

Burns is coming off of an eight-sack season and 18 quarterback hits. As Walder alluded, the Panthers were a horrible team in 2023, and Burns didn't get as many true pass-rushing opportunities due to the team being down large late in games consistently. 

He's only one season removed from his career-best 12.5 sack season and looks to take the next step into one of the league's elite edge rushers.

The Giants hope that will happen, as they've made Burns the third-highest-paid pass rusher in the league. While he's been good, Burns hasn't consistently put up double-digit sack numbers like his counterparts around the league. 

That's the expectation now that he received a five-year, $141 million deal following the trade to the Giants. Burns will be considered a game wrecker, with Thibodeaux and Lawrence dominating the middle.

As for Thibodeaux, he himself said, while appearing on The Pivot podcast, that the tape last year was "disgusting," and he needs to play better. His jump in sack numbers was great from year one to two, but consistency was lacking. 

He failed to record a sack in the last four games and didn't affect the game whatsoever. However, Thibodeaux's year-three jump could be massive with Burns across from him now.

This duo is expected to be a massive part of the Giants' defense's success in 2024, their first test is next week against the Vikings.

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