Dexter Lawrence II Wants to See the NY Giants' Defense Dominate

Optimism is running high among the Giants defense that the unit can crack into the Top-10 league wide.

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97), New York Giants defensive tackle Jordon Riley (95), and New York Giants defensive end Elijah Garcia (90) walk together during day one of the New York Giants training camp at Quest Diagnostics Giants Training Center in East Rutherford on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The personnel, schemes, and motivation are in place for the New York Giants defense.

Now all that’s left is for the players to do their part, which, according to nose tackle and defensive co-captain Dexter Lawerence II, is to dominate week in and week out on every play. 

“The way we communicate on the field, the way we run to the ball, the way we tackle, the way we do the simple things better,” he said when describing the bigger picture goals for the Giants’ defense. 

No team is going to be perfect, and certainly the Giants, who went through the three-game preseason with their best player on the sideline as he completed his rehab from a season-ending elbow injury, don’t yet know if the talent they have will actually achieve dominance until it all takes the field.

But make no mistake about it: there is growth on this defense from a year ago, not just among the veterans but also with the rookies like edge Abdul Carter and defensive lineman Darius Alexander sprinkled into the mix.

For Lawrence, who is set to begin his seventh NFL season, that’s been a good thing because it’s given him a renewed energy that’s just waiting to be unleashed starting this Sunday.  

“I think that’s the biggest thing that our growth has been so far in this camp, and I’m enjoying being a part of it,” he said. 

“It’s pushing me even more, just giving me a lot more motivation and a lot more just to see the guys show their love and care for the game, and it’s been good.”

For as good as Lawrence has been over his career for the Giants, he’s champing at the bit to get out there after missing his first significant playing time in his career last year with the elbow injury, and clean up some of the deficiencies he still sees in his game following his review of his game film.  

“I think over the years, I’ve missed plays, and it itches me,” he said. 

“I work in the offseason to correct those things, and I go out here and I improve, and that’s the biggest thing I want to see in myself every day is just improvement, not settling for where I am right now. There’s no limit to where I can go, and I’m going to keep improving.”

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