The New York Giants struggled against the run following a trade of defensive tackle Damon Harrison, but have pieced together a unit that appears full of potential.
In addition to their need to generate some pass rush, the Giants will heavily rely on their front three to close running lanes, eat up gaps and give their linebackers and secondary a fast start on each play.
Here’s a quick look at what to expect throughout training camp.
Dalvin Tomlinson
Tomlinson is entering his third year with the Giants and by all accounts, it will be his most important. After bouncing from defensive end to nose tackle following the trade of Damon Harrison, he will likely remain in that role thanks to the presence of rookie Dexter Lawrence.
That may be good news for Tomlinson, who has shown little ability to rush the passer over his first two seasons, but has excelled against the run.
In 32 career games, Tomlinson has recorded 53 run stops and missed only a single tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. His run stop percentage of 8.3% also places him in the top third of the league.
While Tomlinson could stand to bulk up a bit if he’s going to be refined to the middle, he remains the Giants’ best option if they intend to use Lawrence on the outside.
It is possible however, that Tomlinson sees a reduction in defensive snaps in 2019, instead serving as a run-down player and finding himself replaced on passing downs.
B.J. Hill
Playing end, Hill set the Giants’ rookie record with 5.5 sacks in 2018, which showed the sort of versatility the young lineman possesses. Now entering his second year, the team expects him to go from quietly underappreciated asset to game-wrecking focal point along the defensive line.
While Hill’s pass rushing ability is a welcomed throw-in for the Giants and something defensive coordinator James Bettcher will undoubtedly use to his advantage this season, what the Giants really need Hill & Co. to do is stop the run.
As a rookie, Hill recorded a run stop percentage of 7.9%, which placed him in the top third of the league. He’ll need to improve upon that number a bit and use his versatility to seal the edge with consistency in 2019.
If Hill is able to help shore up the team’s run defense, his spot pass rushing ability will only become that much more valuable.
Dexter Lawrence
The fresh new arrival on the scene, Dexter Lawrence enters the fray with a load of questions about his role.
Initially, it was believed that Lawrence may oust Tomlinson in the middle, but the Giants put the kibosh on that almost instantaneously, making it known that in addition to his run defense, Lawrence will be highly relied upon for his pass rushing ability.
“He’s a quality run player and he’s more than just a two-down run player,” general manager Dave Gettleman said. “He’s versatile, he’s got hips, he can flip to rush the passer and we are thrilled to have him.”
And Lawrence is perfectly fine with that.
“I do consider myself a pass rusher,” Lawrence told reporters after being drafted. “I’ve just got to unlock it, that’s all. A lot of times, I didn’t set myself up for things. I know that’ll be the difference, and that’s a big focus of mine is to stop all the doubting.”
Lawrence dismissed his lack of college sacks, blaming it on injury and being timid after finding health, but guaranteed that both of those issues are now behind him.
The Giants certainly hope so. They need their front three to generate some pressure or the entire defense falls apart.
Olsen Pierre
A New Jersey native, Pierre was brought in for no other reason than to provide quality depth along the defensive line, having previously seen his most success under James Bettcher in 2017.
During that season — one that saw the Cardinals finish with the sixth-best defense in the league — Pierre had seven starts, recording 32 tackles (10 for losses), 5.5 sacks (2nd most on the team), two passes defensed, one forced fumble, three QB pressures and 10 QB hits.
After finishing last season on injured reserve, Pierre hopes to return to form now that he’s playing under Bettcher yet again.
“I bring an aggressive mentality; pass rushing. Anything the team wants me to do, I’m down for it. Anything the coach wants me to do — special teams, offense, anything, I’m willing to do it,” Pierre told Giants.com.
Whether or not Pierre earns the No. 1 reserve role remains to be seen, but his familiarity with Bettcher’s defense clearly puts him ahead of the curve.
R.J. McIntosh
A fifth-round pick of the Giants in 2018, McIntosh missed all of the Giants’ offseason workouts — rookie minicamp, organized team activities, team minicamp, training camp — and then the first 13 games of the season due to undisclosed illness.
When McIntosh did finally hit the field, he was far behind in his development and didn’t make much of an impact, although it’s worth noting that he wasn’t a clear weakness, either.
In 2019, McIntosh is healthy, has a full offseason workout program under his belt for the first time and is much more familiar with the defense after spending much of last year in the classroom.
“I feel great. I feel healthy. I feel like I’m ready,” he told NJ Advance Media in June.
McIntosh also earned the faith of his head coach, who feels the sophomore is now completely caught up with everyone else and ready to contribute in 2019.
“He is caught up,” Pat Shurmur told reporters in June. “He is doing well. With defensive linemen, we will see more once we can get in more hitting situations. He is moving around well and has gotten much stronger since he has gotten here. He fits well in the defense and looks like he is getting himself right for training camp.”
So long as he can remain healthy, McIntosh should serve as one of the team’s main rotational defensive linemen.
Other players
In addition to their five primary defensive linemen, the Giants will enter camp with several other battling for a spot in the rotation. Those names include Jake Ceresna, Freedom Akinmoladun, Alex Jenkins, John Jenkins and seventh-round rookie Chris Slayton.
Ceresna, who was signed by the Jets as an undrafted rookie in 2016, returns to the NFL after two seasons in the CFL, having signed a reserve/futures deal with the Giants in early January. He’s a long-shot to make the team.
Akinmoladun was originally a rookie minicamp invite for the Giants, but he impressed enough to get added to the team’s 90-man roster and come along for the ride. And while he’s full of potential, the 6-foot-4, 295-pounder faces an uphill battle when it comes to making the team.
Alex Jenkins joins the Giants after two seasons with the New Orleans Saints. An Englishman who played his college ball at University of the Incarnate Word, Jenkins seems perhaps best suited for the team’s practice squad.
The Giants signed veteran John Jenkins a season ago, but he saw very little action, taking just 57 defensive snaps throughout the season. However, the Giants were quick to bring him back this year, but due to the presence of Dexter Lawrence and rookie Chris Slayton, the odds may not be in his favor to stick around.
Arguably the most likely of this group to make the Giants’ 53-man roster is rookie Chris Slayton. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Slayton is considered a “violent” interior defender who already possesses NFL strength, and general manager Dave Gettleman has previously stated they had a fifth-round grade on him. He performed well throughout the spring and could make huge strides in training camp.
