Giants Defensive Lineman Roy Robertson-Harris Tears Achilles at OTA

The veteran defensive tackle suffered a season-ending injury during the team’s third OTA, marking the second torn Achilles for the Giants in as many weeks.

New York Giants defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris suffered a torn Achilles tendon during OTA No. 3 on Thursday. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

 The one position group where the New York Giants could not have any season-ending injuries suffered a significant blow on Thursday when Roy Robertson-Harris tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s third OTA practice.

The injury news, first reported by The Athletic, puts a dent in an already questionable unit’s depth, which last month traded away Dexter Lawrence after he expressed unhappiness with the direction of the team.

Robertson-Harris, a 6-foot-7 and 300-pound tackle who signed with Big Blue in free agency, started all 17 games for the Giants last season, primarily at defensive end. He finished the season with 35 tackles (19 solos) and three tackles for loss.

How Giants Will Move On

While Robertson-Harris’s injury is a blow to the team, New York could be better set up to handle the loss after adding defensive linemen DJ Reader, Shelby Harris, Sam Roberts, Leki Fotu, and Zacch Pickens to a group that also includes second-year player Darius Alexander and sixth-round draft pick Bobby Jamison-Travis.

Alexander, in fact, saw an increase in his practice reps on Thursday after Robertston-Harris limped off the field, while Harris, Reader, and Roberts were missing from Thursday’s voluntary OTA practice.

Harris and Alexander are among the top candidates to step into the role Robertson-Harris held on the defensive line.

Roberts is recovering from an off-season surgery to address an undisclosed injury, a fact revealed by head coach John Harbaugh last month as the team began its offseason program. It’s believed he should be ready for the start of training camp, which opens July 28 at The Greenbriers in West Virginia.

Another Ill-Timed Injury

Robertson-Harris is the second Giants player in as many weeks to suffer a torn Achilles. Last week, intriguing undrafted free agent cornerback Thaddeus Dixon tore his Achilles tendon during a workout held on the grass field. Robertston-Harris’s injury occurred inside the team’s field house.

Robertson-Harris was set to enter the final year of the two-year, $9 million deal he signed last offseason as a free agent. He will count for $5.75 million against the team’s 2026 cap, or 1.9% of the total cap space.

The Giants return to the practice field for OTA No. 4 on Tuesday with a roster opening that they should have filled by then.

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