Matt Citak

PFF believes Giants could have 'a potentially elite pass rush'

Prior to Dexter Lawrence's season-ending injury last season, the Giants were among the league leaders in sacks.

Following an offseason where the defense added even more pieces up front, Pro Football Focus believes that trend could continue in 2025.

PFF's Dalton Wassermanrecently published one reason for optimism for every team going into the 2025 campaign. When it came to the Giants, he focused on the unit up front.

"Led by superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants ranked seventh in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade," wrote Wasserman. "In addition to that excellent group, the team added Penn State's Abdul Carter with the third-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

"Carter earned an elite 92.4 PFF pass-rush grade while accruing 66 pressures and 13 sacks last season. He and third-round pick Darius Alexander should bolster New York's defensive line in a big way."

Lawrence was in the midst of a career-year before an elbow injury forced him to miss the final month of the season.

The 6-foot-4, 340-pound lineman registered a career-high nine sacks across his first 12 games before the injury, while also adding 16 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass defensed.

Meanwhile, Burns picked up 8.5 sacks and 61 total pressures, according to PFF, while Thibodeaux finished with 5.5 sacks and 38 total pressures, despite missing five games with a wrist injury. Thibodeaux's pressures were just five fewer than his 2023 total (in 17 games), while his 17 quarterback hits actually topped his previous high mark of 16.

Then there's the 6-foot-3, 252-pound rookie linebacker, who in addition to recording double-digit sacks last year, also picked up a nation-high 23.5 tackles for loss, along with two forced fumbles and four passes defensed, on his way to being named Unanimous All-American and first-team All-Big Ten.

Carter was also selected as the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, all in his first season lining up on the edge.

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