The New York Giants defensive line is undergoing a significant change entering the 2024 season.
Under new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and with the addition of star edge rusher Brian Burns, the Giants are expecting the defensive line to be the anchor on that side of the ball.
Going through their positional rankings, Pro Football Focus put together their list of the top 32 defensive lines in the NFL.
Here’s where the Giants ranked in comparison in the opinion of Sam Monson:
- New York Jets
- San Francisco 49ers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Detroit Lions
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Indianapolis Colts
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Houston Texans
- Green Bay Packers
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New England Patriots
- Buffalo Bills
- Seattle Seahawks
- New York Giants
- Washington Commanders
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- New Orleans Saints
- Miami Dolphins
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Chicago Bears
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Denver Broncos
- Arizona Cardinals
Monson has the Giants right in the middle of the pack despite boasting some talent like Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
He noted Lawrence as a “unique player” and that adding Burns ” gives the Giants a much better threat on the edge.”
However, Monson also noted that the unit needs Thibodeaux to take a step forward in his third season.
“Now the team needs Kayvon Thibodeaux to take a step forward. Though he got into double-digit sacks in Year 2, he had just 43 quarterback pressures from 520 pass-rushing snaps and his PFF pass-rushing grade declined from his rookie season,” wrote Monson.
That trio will be the key to the entire Giants defense under Bowen considering his penchant for using the four-man rush.
We’ll see where this group stacks up at the end of the season but for now, PFF is viewing the Giants defensive line as a middling unit.
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