3 Areas Where the Giants' Talented Edge Rush Group Can Still Improve in 2026

As far as talent is concerned, the New York Giants outside linebacker unit as headlined by Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter, is by far the deepest and most promising group currently on the 90-man roster.

Burns finished second last season in total sacks with 16.5, which in most years would have been enough for the league title were it not for former Cleveland Browns edge Myles Garrett’s record-setting season.

Carter, per NFL+, led all rookie defenders with 48 quick pressures (pressures coming in at 2.5 seconds or less) and after a rocky start, by the last five weeks of the 2025 season, he had firmly worked his way into the Defensive Rookie of the Year discussion.

And Thibodeaux, despite a second season in which he landed on IR leading to multiple games missed, was a solid force against the run, earning the highest run defense grade among the Giants edge defenders (80.7) from PFF.

Thibodeaux’s run-stop percentage (9.6%) was also the highest among the team’s edge rushers who had a minimum of 100 run-defense snaps.

Despite their solid showing on the whole, the edge defenders have just as much room as any other position unit to grow more toward their ceiling including in these three areas.

Converting Pressures to Sacks

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (3) and linebacker Trace Ford (48) participates in drills during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While many players and defensive coordinators will tell us that so long as the defenders are disrupting the quarterback in some way, that’s as good as anything.

But not quite, at least where the numbers are concerned. The goal of a pass rush is to get sacks, period. Sacks result in lost yardage, and can also lead to turnovers if the quarterback is hit in such a way that the ball comes loose.

The Giants edge defenders, as good as they were, struggled to convert pressures into sacks. Per PFF, Carter led the Giants’ edge defenders with 66 total pressures but only converted four of those into sacks.

Burns had 53 total pressures, converting those into 16.5 sacks. And Thibodeaux, in his injury-shortened season (10 games played), recorded 32 pressures which turned into 2.5 sacks.

The talent is there and the upgrades to the scheme and talent up front should hopefully yield better results for the Giants outside linebackers.

Run Defense

May 21, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter (3), linebacker Brian Burns (0) and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) talk during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When one thinks of the Giants’ struggling run defense, the first thought often goes to the defensive line.

But the edge defenders are just as much a part of the overall picture. When they lose contain, do not shed blocks, or fail to turn outside runs back inside, that all contributes to the large chunk plays on the ground that the Giants gave up all too often last year.

The Giants allowed 75 rushing plays to go for 10+ yards and 19 of those to go for 20+ yards, the latter tying the Giants for most runs of 20+ yards allowed (with Cincinnati).

The outside defenders simply need to be more disciplined against the run in looking down the edge for starters. But another key element that should help this group fare better against the run is the inside linebacker group of Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese.

Both of those players bring speed to the mix and will be an improvement in closing up the lanes that opposing offenses often exploited at the second level.

Overall Growth

Jun 9, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) answers questions from the press after the minicamp activities at Quest Diagnostics Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Burns has been the gold standard, not just in his approach to the game, but also in the production that he’s generated.

The same can’t quite be said of the rest of the still-young group in which Carter (22 years old) and Thibodeaux (25 years old) are still laying down their NFL roots.

Both Thibodeaux and Carter have received praise in the offseason for dedicating themselves to their craft, with Thibodeaux being worthy of extra praise given how his financial future is still pending.

A more important, yet underrated aspect of this group’s future development is that they get another year to work with outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, one of a small number of assistant coaches retained from Brian Daboll’s staff by Harbaugh.

That coaching continuity will help both Thibodeaux and Carter challenge Burns for the team lead in pass rushing metrics if they can avoid the injury bug.

Prior “Three Things” Entries

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