Giants Defensive Line a Burning Question?

So believes one NFL columnist.

Dec 11, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Plenty of questions surround the New York Giants’ upcoming season, including about the quarterback, the offensive line, and life after Saquon Barkley. 

But perhaps the most burning question, according to Yahoo! Sports columnist Frank Schwab, is whether the Giants' "stacked" defensive line will make any difference.

"Having one of the best defensive lines in the NFL is a good foundation for any team," Schwab said. "The Giants already had a pretty good defensive line when they traded for Brian Burns. 

“Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux are an elite pass-rushing duo. Dexter Lawrence II was the top-graded defensive tackle in the NFL last season via Pro Football Focus, and the team added longtime veteran Jordan Phillips to fill in next to Lawrence at tackle. That's a really good line.”

The Giants' defensive line will be key, and not just when it comes to collapsing the pocket in the interior or rushing the quarterback off the edge. It will allow the Giants' overlooked linebacker corps, led by Bobby Okereke, to fly to the ball cleanly. The secondary's life will be made easier, too.

Such is a good thing for the Giants, who in recent years despite the presence of Dexter Lawrence, their two-time Pro Bowl interior defensive linemen, have lost more battles than they’ve won when it comes to the play in the trenches.  The addition of Burns to the front seven now gives the Giants three formidable pass rushers who will force opponents to pick their poison. 

Frankly, the defensive line is the least of the Giants’ burning questions. Schwab mentioned the offensive line and the quarterback position, two very legitimate burning questions more so than the defensive line.

The Giants have been trying to fix their underperforming offensive line for years. This off-season, they went the veteran route and hired Carmen Bricillo to address some of the technique issues that have held back the young talent.

Then there is quarterback Daniel Jones's play. In 2022, Jones played his way to a new four-year, $160 million contract, leading the Giants to their first postseason berth since 2016 and their first postseason win since 2011. However, last year, Jones’s play deteriorated, partly due to the offensive line’s inconsistent play and partly due to his continued struggles with post-snap reads.

The Giants considered moving on from Jones this past off-season but were unable to get the quarterback they reportedly wanted in the draft (Drake Maye). 

Rather than settle or reach for another quarterback, the Giants are giving Jones one last chance to show that he’s the quarterback he was in 2022, and to help him do that, they brought in receiver Malik Nabers and the aforementioned offensive linemen, plus it looks as though head coach Brian Daboll is going to call the plays this year.

If Jones, who is recovering from a torn ACL, fails to get off to a decent start, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Giants pull him for backup Drew Lock given the $23 million injury guarantee in Jones’s contract.

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