Giants Defensive Line Looks to Continue Building Chemistry

They probably won't be viewed by NFL historians like the famed Cowboys Triplets of the 1990s (quarterback Troy Aikman, receiver Michael Irvin and running back Emmitt Smith).

But the Giants' projected starting defensive line of Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Dexter Lawrence has quietly developed into a trio with which to be reckoned.

Tomlinson is one of the last remaining draft picks from the Jerry Reese era (chosen in the second round of the 2017 draft).

Williams, the sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft, was acquired in a bold trade with the Jets that cost the Giants this year's third-round pick and next year's fifth-round pick.

And Lawrence, the youngest of the group, was the second of the Giants' first-round draft picks last year, and one of the picks obtained int he Odell Beckham Jr. trade with Cleveland.

Although the trio hasn't generated monstrous sack totals--they combined for 6.5 sacks last season--that doesn't mean they haven't been developing into a force with which NFL offensive lines will have to reckon.

The trio combined for 82 run defense stops of zero or negative yards last season, as the Giants’ run defense began to trend upwards in the second half of the season, ranking as high as 19th in the league after falling to as low as 26th in the first half of the season.

Tomlinson, whose production started picked up after Williams' arrival, recorded 11 of his 14 solo tackles after Williams entered the Giants lineup and made at least two run stops in all but two of the final eight games.

"I love Leonard, I feel like we both click off the field for the most part because we both love anime and video games, so we became like instant best friends," Tomlinson said during a video teleconference with reporters Wednesday.

"I just love playing beside him. We have great chemistry, and I'm looking forward to playing with him this upcoming season."

Other than for the addition of defensive tackle Austin Johnson, a free agent signed from the Titans, the Giants defensive line, one of the biggest strengths of the team last year, remained virtually untouched in an off-season that saw the back end of the defense undergo significant change.

With all the principles back for another year together--the group also including rotational linemen like B.J. Hill and R.J. McIntosh-- the sky could be the limit for this unit.

"I feel like [the chemistry] helps a lot because a lot of us already know each other," Tomlinson said. "I feel like we get to interact more with the other positions as well as the offense.

"I feel like it gives us an advantage in learning the system more easily because we all know each other and how each other learns things and pick up things on a day-to-day basis."

The return of Patrick Graham, who in 2016-17 served as the Giants defensive line coach (where he worked with Tomlinson as a rookie) before leaving to become the linebackers coach at Green Bay in 2018 and the Miami defensive coordinator last year is a bonus.

Graham, the Giants new defensive coordinator, is a highly respected coach and teacher whom, according to head coach Joe Judge, has designed a system that takes a little bit from the various systems he's been a part of in the past, including Miami, New England, Houston, and Tennessee.

The hope is that the defensive front will be able to occupy blockers upfront to create lanes for the back end of the defense to penetrate and create havoc in opposing offensive backfields.

Tomlinson said he's excited to reunite with Graham, calling the veteran coach a "super high-energy" individual.

"He coaches you to the fullest because he wants the full potential brought out of you," Tomlinson said. "Back then, the way he coached the d-line, you could tell he was going to be a defensive coordinator."

The Giants ranked 30th in team defense in 2019 and finished 20th against the run. There will be a lot of pressure on the defensive line to change that in 2020, as the unit boasts some of the most continuity the roster has to offer.

While there is a lot to be encouraged about, Tomlinson issued a reminder.

"We have to see when we get pads on," he said. "I love the defense. I'm super excited to play in it and just run some of the plays we've installed. With the players we have on our team, I feel like we could get varied at times."

For Tomlinson and Williams, there is added incentive to deliver the goods this year. Both are currently unsigned beyond this season, and if both have big seasons this year, it could result in a nice payday.

In Williams' case, he signed the one-year franchise tender worth an estimated $16.1 million. He and the Giants have until July 15 to work out a new multi-year deal that would lower that cap charge; absent that happening, Williams will play out the 2020 season on the franchise tag tender.

Meanwhile, Tomlinson is in the final year of his rookie deal and could be in for a big payday after three straight years of improvement and durability, having started all 48 games for the Giants since 2017.

"I'm not really focused on the contract right now because all I can do is just try to get better and be as much prepared I can for hopefully when we get back for training camp and get back to the facility as early as possible," Tomlinson said of his contract status.

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