2025 Giants Defensive Line Disappointed Despite Roster Additions

In recent seasons, the New York Giants defensive line has been among the team’s strengths.

Such, however, wasn’t the case in 2025, even though general manager Joe Schoen added resources to the unit in both free agency (Roy Robertson-Harris) and the draft (Darius Alexander).

It all started with a poor season (at least by his prior standards) for Dexter Lawrence.

Lawrence, whom we suspected wasn’t fully recovered from the season-ending elbow injury he suffered a little more than midway through the 2024 season, hardly looked like one of the game’s best interior defensive linemen.

Looking at Giants players' 2025 seasons! Curious about DL Dexter Lawrence's deployment vs. 2024 and its impact on production? Stay tuned for data on the upcoming Locked On Giants podcast! 📈 #Giants #NFL @LockedOnGiants pic.twitter.com/9j8SOMy4WD
— Locked On Giants (@LockedOn_Giants) January 18, 2026

Rookie Darius Alexander got off to a slow start, but started to come on toward the end of the season. As for the rest of the talent, given all the resources poured into it, the Giants' defensive line left much to be desired.

Let’s get into it.

Dexter Lawrence

Fighting through an injury-riddled season, Lawrence managed to suit up for all 17 games despite not being anywhere close to 100%.

His numbers across the board were way down. Last year, he recorded 9.0 sacks in just 12 games before the elbow injury that bled into his 2025 season, which ended with just a half sack.

Lawrence’s pressures, quarterback hits, and tackles were also way down. If you’re looking for the biggest reason why this defense sagged so badly, look no further than thePro Bowl nose tackle playing like a journeyman.

We fail to believe that Lawrence, just 28 years old, is done after just one sub-par season. He’ll have a full off-season to regain his health and prepare for the 2026 season, where a big comeback (plus a new defensive coordinator) should go a long way towards getting his game, and this defense, back on track.

Roy Robertson-Harris

This 32-year-old vet started slowly in his run-first role, but he responded with a better second half and finished on the upswing.

No one expected Robertson-Harris to provide much of a pass rush (he didn’t), but he did battle inside and held his own. He wasn’t a difference-maker as the leaky run defense sputtered once again.

Robertson-Harris has another year left on his Giants contract, and currently, the defensive line pickings are slim on the roster, so he’ll likely be back.

He started all 17 games and played a lot of snaps, but until this team’s defensive front adds some talent, the run defense will continue to flounder.

The organization has to continue to look to get younger in the pit, not older.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches

Another 32-year-old veteran who failed to make an impact with the leaky run defense, the difference here is that Nunez-Roches is a pending free agent who has never been a run defender.

Too often, the opposition attacked Nunez-Roches on the ground with impunity. He could barely hold his ground against solo blocking; combo blocks annihilated him.

He did record a career-high 3 sacks in just nine games this year. More of a pursuit than a point-of-attack guy, Nunez-Roches lost eight games due to ankle and other injuries.

We seriously doubt the front office will pursue him in free agency.

Darius Alexander

This rookie’s first half was an invisible one, but he gradually picked up some momentum, and in Week 12, he recorded a 2-sack game in the OT loss to the Lions.

Alexander finished strong, playing his best ball in Weeks 17 & 18. Alexander seemed more comfortable rushing the passer than defending the run.

He has to get stronger in the lower body to anchor better against the run. Alexander’s long arms and upper body power are his strengths. He regularly controlled his man with one arm on the pass rush and did a good job of turning him while powering upfield.

He finished with 3.5 sacks but just 20 total tackles. He’s more of a power player who needs to play lighter and quicker on his feet.

Game experience helped him play faster. Let’s hope that trajectory continues.

D.J. Davidson

This four-year vet just finished off his rookie contract with the Giants and is a pending free agent.

A former fifth-round pick, Davidson took up space and held his ground at times while playing over the nose, but he wasn’t much of a stack-and-shed guy this year; he just stacked.

Davidson’s game took a step back after a productive 2024 season that saw him record career highs in tackles (23) and sacks (2.0). This year, it was 9 total tackles and no sacks.

Though he played in 15 games, Davidson had to deal with knee issues early on, and then a neck injury that forced him to IR to finish the year.

A return to health might make him an offseason target as a depth nose tackle.

Elijah Chatman

After an intriguing rookie season when he played in all 17 games, recording 21 tackles and a sack, Chatman was relegated to the practice squad for most of the 2025 season, only suiting up for five late-season games, where three lonely tackles were the result.

Also, Chatman got a handful of lead-blocking assignments at fullback and was adequate. He’s got another year left on his contract, so don’t be surprised to see him reprise his role as a lead blocker and mobile interior guy.

Chatman lacks the bulk and arm length to control blockers, which makes him too easy to single-block.

Elijah Garcia

This run-first defensive end played in four early-season games for the Giants and contributed with four tackles and a sack in limited snaps.

This came on the heels of a solid 14-tackle 2024 season with the team, which made it all the more surprising when the Giants, with a defense that needed as much run defense help as it could find, waived him to their practice squad in October.

The Falcons eventually scooped him up in November.

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