This Might Be the New York Giants' Biggest Roster Decision

This unit has been retooled and filled with talented players who can fill multiple roles but that means difficult decisions will have to be made at one unit.

May 9, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander (91) participates in a drill during rookie minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

The New York Giants made significant additions to this squad through free agency and the draft. 

One of the main goals of the offseason was to bolster the run defense, and that seemed to come via additions on the defensive line. They added three guys via free agency and one in the draft to go with a core unit of guys who primarily made up the defensive line last season. 

More than any other position, they will need to make some major decisions on the defensive line when they try to reduce the roster to 53 players. 

One of the goals was to create more competition. They have indeed achieved that goal. 

Last season, the Giants kept five defensive linemen on their final roster: Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, D.J. Davidson, Jordon Riley, and Elijah Chatman. 

All five are back this season, and they will aim to hold onto their positions. The only person guaranteed to be safe is Lawrence, who just happens to be one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. 

Everyone else will need to prove that they need another season with the team to prove their worth.

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

The newcomers are aplenty and have been added because this team believed they were missing something in their run defense. 

Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter are both defensive tackles who have played defensive end. 

Chauncey Gholston is a defensive end who has played defensive tackle, so it will be interesting to see whether he is lumped in with the outside linebackers. 

Darius Alexander is a defensive tackle and the team's 2025 third-round draft pick, so he is almost assured a roster spot. 

That leaves the three newly signed free agents and the four incumbents from 2024 to battle for three, maybe four roster spots. 

What makes this decision so difficult is that there must be a belief in all of these players from the front office and coaching staff. 

Head coach Brian Daboll is on record as saying that many of the issues with the run defense were a result of the offense not performing as well as it needed to. 

If that is the case, and the stats bear out that it is, how can we hold 2024 against any of the returning linemen? 

Those players were chosen, and this regime believed that they had potential. Davidson and Riley were draft picks from the first two draft classes, Chatman was the surprise breakout UDFA from last season, and Nunez-Roches was signed as a free agent in 2023 to be a running mate with Lawrence. 

Would replacing them be an admittance that this regime got it wrong or was not able to develop the talent beyond what it initially saw?

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) congratulates defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (94) on his sack against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

For the new additions, just because they were brought in via free agency this offseason, it does not guarantee any of them a spot on this roster. However, it does mean they have the attention of the front office and coaching staff right now. 

The question will be, can they keep it? How do they stand out to jump over the incumbents, who already have a season spent in this defense, and even each other? After all, this is not about new players versus old players; this team will retain the best players. 

Guys like Corey Durden, who the Giants signed off the Rams practice squad in November, and Elijah Garcia, who was on the Giants practice squad in 2024, both feel like casualties of what is sure to be a fierce competition. 

Even with Lawrence having a lighter load this offseason as the team tries to ensure he is as healthy as possible for the beginning of the season, there will still be a lot of bodies, and reps will be scarce.

New York Giants defensive end Chauncey Golston, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The rookie Alexander will need reps to assess his current level and identify areas for improvement, and then he will require additional reps to demonstrate his progress. 

The newly acquired players will need reps to better understand their roles in the defense, as well as to give the coaching staff a clearer understanding of how to utilize them. 

The returning players need reps to demonstrate their improvement from last season. There will be a few people left out, and it does not seem to be a clear-cut, obvious choice. 

This team needs to improve its play against the run. The Giants are searching for a group that will yield results. Whichever combination they choose, people will debate who they kept and let go, and the proof of their decisions may not be felt until long after the start of the season. That's what makes this the most significant roster decision facing the team.

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Follow and like us on Facebook. Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel. And if you want to send a letter to our mailbag, you can do so here.