DL Shelby Harris Among Those Giants Hope Will Fill Void Left by Dexter Lawrence Trade

In the wake of the blockbuster trade that sent Dexter Lawrence II to Cincinnati, the New York Giants signed veteran interior defensive lineman Shelby Harris to a cheap, one-year deal. No one player could completely replace the production of "Sexy Dexy," but Harris is meant to be a small piece of the effort.

After a season-ending injury to Roy Robertson-Harris, Harris could see a larger role in New York's defensive front if he can hold off second-year pro Darius Alexander for a starting job.

Harris does have a unique skill set that could help replace a small portion of what the Giants lost in the trade. The 34-year-old can line up at multiple positions on the defensive front.

If he still has enough left in the tank to play a large portion of the snaps, Harris could become a Swiss Army knife for defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson.

Shelby Harris

Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 288 lbs.
Exp: 11
School: Illinois State
How Acquired: FA-26

2025 in Review

Harris has bounced around the NFL throughout his long career, but he spent his last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

In 2025, he played in all 17 games but started only five, as Harris lost ground to first-round draft pick Mason Graham. He fell out of the starting lineup after the Browns drafted Mason Graham in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Still, he was a key part of Cleveland's rotation, playing 600 snaps and getting some work on special teams.

The Browns primarily used the veteran as a defensive tackle, though he also saw time at nose tackle and defensive end.

He logged just one sack, 32 tackles, and seven tackles for loss. Despite playing in all 17 games, he had one of his worst statistical seasons.

Still, he should bring value to the Giants' defense. Though he is slightly undersized for a defensive tackle, Harris uses leverage and his strong lower body to hold his position against the run.

In 11 seasons, he's never earned a PFF run defense grade worse than 62.3. Even if his pass-rushing days are mostly behind him, New York likely saw a reliable run defender in Harris.

Contract/Cap Info

Harris signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Giants that included a $1 million signing bonus and had $2.6 million in guarantees.

The veteran defensive tackle has spent most of his career on one-year deals; 7 of the 11 contracts he's signed have only been for one season.

He'll be 35 years old at the start of the season, so no team was likely to ink him to a multi-year deal this offseason.

If Harris underperforms early in the 2026 season, the Giants wouldn't have much of an incentive to release him. Because most of his contract was guaranteed at signing, cutting him would only free up $340,000 in cap space.

2026 Preview

In his 12th season in the NFL, Harris is set to re-enter a starting lineup in New York. He's projected to play primarily as the defensive end in Wilson's scheme, and, assuming he beats out Alexander, he would start alongside DJ Reader, who will play the nose tackle position.

Lawrence is one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in football. Harris won't match his level of dominance, but he still brings an adequate level of run defense to the table.

Whether he's knifing through blocks to shut down ball carriers in the backfield or anchoring himself in the middle of the field, he can help improve a Giants run defense that ranked last in the league in EPA per rush allowed in 2025.

He won't make up for the pass-rushing presence of Lawrence. The Giants are relying on their edge rushers for that. But Harris can provide a much-needed boost to the run defense on the interior.

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