How Giants' D-Line Reshapes Post-Draft Following the Shelby Harris Signing

The New York Giants, as was expected, have signed veteran defensive line help.

Big Blue will have 11-year veteran Shelby Harris come in to fill the giant-sized veteran hole on their defensive line that resulted following their trade of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals before the draft.

Harris, who signed a one-year deal, offers versatility to a defense. He’s played the majority of his career snaps as a defensive tackle (3,306) with 902 snaps at the 5-tech and 424 snaps as a nose tackle.

Harris began his career with the Raiders in 2014, who drafted him in the seventh round out of Illinois State in 2014. He then spent five seasons with the Broncos, one with Seattle, and the last three with the Browns.

He also had a short off-season stint with the Jets in 2016 before landing on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad for that season.

Harris had his most productive seasons with the Broncos, for whom he played from 2017 to 2021.

He twice recorded six sacks (in 2019 and 2021) as a member of Denver’s defense, a single-season career best. He also recorded 49 tackles in each of those seasons, also a single-season career high, and had a career-best nine pass breakups in the 2019 season.

In both seasons, he appeared and started in all 16 games.

Last season, Harris appeared in 17 games for the Browns with five starts. He finished with 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, and four pass breakups.

Overall, Harris, 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, has appeared in 146 games with 89 starts. He’s posted 358 tackles (201 solo efforts), 58 tackles for loss, and 21.5 sacks in his career.

While Harris brings the veteran stability the Giants lacked after the Lawrence trade, he is just one piece of a defensive front that looks unrecognizable compared to last season.

Giants ' New-Look Defensive Line

The Giants' defensive line will look very different this season, thanks to personnel changes.

In addition to trading for Lawrence, the Giants moved on from unrestricted free agents Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who eventually signed with the Bucs, and DJ Davidson, who signed with Washington.

Roy Robertson-Harris, who signed last offseason as a free agent, is currently projected to return as a starter on the line.

The team is also looking for second-year defensive tackle Darius Alexander, their third-round draft pick last year, to take a significant leap forward in his development.

They also added veteran Sam Roberts during free agency to play at nose tackle. And they have young veteran Elijah Chatman, an undersized but stout defender, who has been on the roster since 2024.

The Giants drafted Auburn defensive lineman Bobby Jamison-Travis in the sixth round this past weekend, a player they ultimately hope will turn into an every-down defensive lineman.

For the time being, however, Jamison-Travis is projected to be a two-down run stopper who will provide rotational snaps at nose tackle.

Undrafted free agents Anquin Barnes Jr of Colorado and Ben Barten of Wisconsin will round out the defensive line group.

What’s next for the Giants D-line?

The Giants could also be looking to add more veteran depth to the unit. They have been in contact with DJ Reader, who was with the Lions last year, and Benito Jones, last with the Dolphins.

“Again, not playing until September,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said after the second night of last weekend’s draft.

“Looking at some of the free agents on the street, we'll continue to talk to some of those guys.

“We won't stop. We'll keep looking to upgrade, not just D-tackle, but the entire roster. Wherever it is, we'll continue to do that.”

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