New York Giants 2024 Position Unit Review: Defensive Line

There was Dexter Lawrence and then there was everyone else.
Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) lines up during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) lines up during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
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As good as New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II is, he can’t do it all by his lonesome.

Lawrence, who, despite playing in an injury-shortened season (12 games), still managed to record a single-season career high in sacks despite routinely facing double team blocks, needs a partner alongside him in the mold of Leonard Williams, whom the Giants traded midway through the 2023 season. 

According to NFL Pro, Lawrence saw his quick pressure rates (quarterback pressures under three seconds) drop significantly without a player of Williams’ caliber alongside him.

Lawrence’s QPRs were 27 and 20 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. This past season, in 12 games, that number dropped to just ten, with his pass-rush get-off rate average at 1.07 seconds, a career-high.  

And if that isn’t enough reason to prioritize the interior of the defensive line, look no further than the drop-off when Lawrence isn’t in the lineup. Each time he was given a breather, one could expect the opponent to successfully attack whoever was in there for Lawrence (usually Jordon Riley).

If the Giants want to get better in 2025–and let’s face it, they better–adding quality depth to the defensive line must be a top priority for general manager Joe Schoen. He needs to find a partner to line up next to Lawrence that can make his and the defensive line’s jobs just a little easier.

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II
Oct 20, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) celebrates after a sack during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

2024 in Review

Despite not having a Leonard Williams-type partner alongside Lawrence, defensive line coaches Andre Patterson and Bryan Cox did an impressive job coaching some of the younger talent to where they weren’t totally being embarrassed out there. 

But again, the Giants need more on their defensive line. Lawrence can’t do it alone, and if the last year and a half hasn’t proven that, then we don’t know what will.  

  • Rostered Players: Dexter Lawrence II, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Armon Watts, Jordan Riley, D.J. Davidson, Cory Durden, Casey Rogers, Elijah Chatman, Elijah Garcia
  • Under Contract: Dexter Lawrence II, Rakeem Nunez-Roches,  Jordan Riley, D.J. Davidson, Cory Durden, Casey Rogers, Elijah Chatman, Elijah Garcia

 New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II
Nov 8, 2024; Munich, Germany; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during press conference at the FC Bayern Munchen training grounds at Sabener Strasse. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dexter Lawrence II

Selected by his peers as the best nose tackle in the league for the third consecutive year, what more can be said about the Giants' best player?  

In his sixth NFL season, Lawrence was having his best season before a dislocated elbow in Week 12 ended it prematurely.  Incredibly, his 9.0 sacks through 7 games led the league.  He was regularly destroying offenses while drawing double-teams on nearly every snap.  

Lawrence leaving the field for a blow was an open invitation for opposing offenses to run the ball down the defense’s throat.  Only when Lawrence returned did the bleeding stop. 

Some found it curious that the team’s overall run defense improved when Lawrence went down, having the audacity to blame Lawrence for this turn of affairs somehow.  

Instead, it was a schematic change in which the coaches went from a 2-down lineman look to three to stem the tide. If next year’s scheme goes back to a 2-down lineman look, which is popular around the league, then Lawrence will need some help.  

Either way, the team must get better and deeper in the trenches.  Lawrence is fantastic, but he can’t do it alone.

New York Giants defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (93) celebrates following a sack against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Rakeem Nunez-Roches

Three years ago, when the new “brain trust” took over, one of their first moves was signing Nunez-Roches to a contract.  

They thought they were plugging a big hole.  Instead, Nunez-Roches has become the bullseye of every opposing offense whenever yards are needed.  Most of the time, a simple solo bock is enough to handle him.  

Nunez-Roches’ role should be a rotational backup at best, not a starter.  He is all about hustle and emotions, but he can’t hold the point of attack, tie up blockers, or make any kind of play other than in pursuit.  

Though he has mobility, he can’t rush the passer.  He has one year left on that contract, but it’s expensive ($5.033 million cap hit).  We wouldn’t be surprised if he is a cap casualty, especially if this regime brings in younger talent, which we think is a no-brainer.

Defensive tackle Armon Watts
Defensive tackle Armon Watts (94) from his days with the Patriots / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Armon Watts

Watts was picked up off waivers in mid-October and activated from practice the following week, so the team was desperate for adequate depth over the nose.  

Watts, who dealt with a shoulder issue that landed him on IR, returned and proceeded to make a few plays, more than any other nose player, and eventually played five games with the team. 

Unfortunately, an ACL tear in Week 17 now casts his entire 2025 season in doubt.  Once he is healthy, he will be a pending free agent. 

New York Giants defensive tackle Jordon Riley
Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Jordon Riley (95) reacts after a defensive stop during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Jordon Riley

Riley was playing sparingly behind Lawrence and D.J. Davidson when both players went down. Riley started the last five games and showed a few glimpses of playmaking ability.  

He shed a few blocks and flashed into some plays, which he hadn’t been doing at all.  He had been physical against the run and took up space, but there had been zero pass-rush ability or shedding being done.  

It often takes young D-Linemen a while to find their game in this league.  The increased workload likely accelerated his growth.  Perhaps Riley is figuring things out.

New York Giants defensive tackle D.J. Davidson
Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle D.J. Davidson (98) participates in drills during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

D.J. Davidson

Davidson suited up for the first 13 games and was having a bit of a breakout season, with highlights including a 2-sack game against Seattle and an 8-tackle performance against Pittsburgh.  

Davidson was getting a heavy dose of rotational snaps when a shoulder injury on Thanksgiving ended his season. 

Davidson was showing more mobility and an attack mentality pre-injury but was also not getting enough things done to stem the running game failures.  

We liked how Davidson was throwing his body around in pursuit and upfield on passing downs, but he’s got to get better at the point of attack and shedding blocks.  On the plus side, his bull rush is a legit weapon.  

Davidson has one year left on his rookie contract. 

Defensive tackle Cory Durden
Defensive tackle Cory Durden from his time with the Rams. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cory Durden

Signed off the Rams practice squad in early December, Durden was immediately pressed into action and totaled a productive 10 tackles in three games despite very limited playing time.  

Durden flashed in pursuit, where he got most of his tackles.  He seemed to have enough size to be a factor inside, but he didn’t do enough there and needed to be more physical.  

Durden is signed through next year, so expect him to be in summer training camp.

New York Giants defensive tackle Casey Rogers
Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Casey Rogers (91) warms up prior to the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Casey Rogers

As an older (26) UDFA defensive lineman, Rogers was waived on cutdown day and spent the season on the Giants practice squad.  

He was signed to the 53-man roster but had little impact and ended up finishing the season on the practice squad.

In his game snaps, he showed hustle but struggled to hold his ground, shed blocks, or find the ball. So far, he is part of the offseason roster, but let’s see if he makes it to camp.

New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman
Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (94) runs on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Elijah Chatman

Having survived a 17-game rookie season, slugging it out in the trenches is not easy, but this kid hung on till the end.

They had to drag him off the field after he suffered a second-half injury, but he walked off on his own two feet, looking much the worse for wear but with his head held high. Chatman suffered his injury on a diving tackle, which was made possible by his speed and hustle quotient.

Like the veteran Nunez-Roches, Chatman is a movement player who lacks the girth and technique to disrupt at the point of attack. 

He finished his season with 21 tackles and suited up every week of the 17-game season, his role being to hold down the inside pass-rushing role on passing downs from start to finish.

We’re curious to see what he will do in the off-season to improve his game. He can run, but at 6 feet and 280 pounds, he will have to find more ways to overcome his size limitations.

New York Giants defensive end Elijah Garcia (90)
Dec 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive end Elijah Garcia (90) recovers a fumble in front of Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson (31) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Elijah Garcia

Getting plenty of rotation snaps at defensive end late in the season, Garcia regularly stayed on his feet, controlled his gap, and found a way to work toward the ball.

There’s little explosion in Garcia’s game, but he is honest and plays with discipline and toughness.

To these eyes, he’s an ideal rotation player who provides good depth on a defensive line that was well short of that for the first half of the season. Overall, he proved to be a productive player in his limited snaps.


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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

Bob Folger
BOB FOLGER

Bob Folger has been breaking down New York Giants football for over 20 years for Inside Football, a publication devoted to the in-depth coverage of the Xs and Os of Giants football.