New York Giants 2025 Training Camp Preview: DL Elijah Garcia

Elijah Garcia is facing his toughest challenge yet to hold on to a roster spot.

Dec 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive end Elijah Garcia (90) celebrates his fumble recovery with fans during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Giants signed defensive lineman Elijah Garcia to their practice squad on August 28 last season.

Garcia, who played his college ball at Rice University, was initially signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. He didn’t make the 53-man roster but did land on the Rams practice squad. 

Later that season, Garcia was poached by the Denver Broncos, who signed him to their 53-man roster. Garcia played two seasons–sparingly at that–for the Broncos, appearing in just five games on defense and special teams. 

His best season for Denver was in 2023, when in three games (31 defensive snaps), he recorded four tackles, one sack, one quarterback hit, and one forced fumble. 

Garcia was waived by the Broncos the following year, and the Giants picked him on August 29, 2024.

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Elijah Garcia, DL

• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 302  lbs.
• Exp.: 2 Years
• School: Rice
• How Acquired: FA-'24

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2024 in Review

Garcia, who spent most of the 2024 season on the Giants’ practice squad, was signed to the 53-man roster on December 7, 2024, after season-ending injuries hit defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence II and D.J. Davidson. 

He appeared in five games for the Giants, doubling his game action from the first two seasons of his career, seeing 143 defensive snaps and 20 on special teams.  

Garcia recorded 14 tackles (five solos), two tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit for the Giants, all of which matched or set new career highs. He also had a fumble recovery. 

Contract/Cap Info

Garcia is in Year 2 of his two-year, $1.945 million contract ($972,500 APY). This year, he has a base salary of $1.030 million but doesn’t have any prorated signing bonus or workout bonuses to create dead money should he not make the roster. And if he doesn’t make the roster, that means the Giants will save the full amount on his cap hit, $1.030 million.

2025 Preview

As a rotational defensive end last season, Garcia was not only productive but did a nice job staying on his feet, controlling his gap, and working his way to the ball. His game can be best described as one that is played with discipline and toughness.

That said, he lacks explosiveness to his game, and given the additions made to the defensive line, Garcia is facing an uphill battle to reclaim a roster spot. There may be a role for him in the NFL as a rotational type, given his production on limited snaps, but it’s highly unlikely that he will be with the Giants.  

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