How Can Leki Fotu Help Patch Giants' Defensive Line?

There are two positions that a football team can never have enough of: cornerbacks and pass rushers. But if you’re the New York Giants, you might as well add defensive linemen to that list.

Such has been the case for Big Blue, which, ever since trading away star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals prior to the 2026 draft, has turned to a committee approach to replace some of the production Lawrence was capable of delivering when healthy.

Alas, that plan hit a snag when injuries started affecting the defensive linemen. Sam Roberts, a free-agent signing back in March, missed the entire spring while recovering from an undisclosed offseason surgery.

Roy Robertson-Harris suffered a torn Achilles, and while he’s not on IR yet, it’s difficult to see the Giants being able to hold a roster spot for him until around November or December, at which point Robertson-Harris, a starter last year, might be ready to return.

Enter Leki Fotu. Originally a fourth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Fotu has appeared in 66 career games with 26 starts for the Cardinals, Jets, Raiders, and Texans. He has 103 tackles, 4.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 15 tackles for loss over his six-year career.

His best season may have been 2023, his final one with the Cardinals, when he recorded 2.5 sacks (a single-season career-high) to go along with 28 tackles and 5 tackles for loss (another single-season career-high) in 11 games.

LEKI FOTU, DL

Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 317 lbs.
Exp.: 7 years
Schools: Utah
How Acquired: FA-'26

2025 in Review

Leki Fotu spent the 2025 season between two franchises. His first six games were with the Las Vegas Raiders, with whom he made four starts and recorded one sack, eight tackles, and one quarterback hit in 147 defensive snaps.

The Raiders waived him in December following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as part of an organizational shift to its youth movement. Fotu was then picked up by the Houston Texans, for whom he appeared in two games (no darts) and played in 46 defensive snaps, recording three tackles in that limited play.

Contract/Cap Info

Fotu signed a one-year $1.29 million contract with the Giants, which qualifies him for a veteran salary benefit. The deal includes a $50,000 roster bonus, which unofficially Fotu would earn if he makes the 53-man roster out of training camp.

If the 28-year-old defensive lineman doesn’t make the team, New York will be on the hook for only $25,000, which represents Fotu’s signing bonus.

2026 Preview

Fotu is yet another one of those versatile veteran defensive linemen the Giants have brought on board in droves. Fotu’s flexibility works at nose tackle and at the 3-technique spot just outside the guard.

At 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, Fotu’s bread and butter is as a space eater, particularly in the run game where he typically draws double-team blocks. Fotu has surprisingly decent speed to get outside his area and chase down plays, and his signature pass rush move is a bull-rush.

Fotu’s size makes him a good fit for certain scenarios like short-yardage and goal-line defense.

If he makes the team, one probably shouldn’t expect him to play more than a couple dozen snaps per game in a rotation role, though, as the Giants' approach is to build a deep rotation at defensive line to ensure the players are kept fresh throughout the game.

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