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Giants Defense Has a Hidden Ingredient That Could Make it Dominant
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- Giants Defense Has a Hidden Ingredient That Could Make it Dominant
The New York Giants largely overhauled their defense this offseason, especially up the middle when they signed DJ Reader and Shelby Harris to man the defensive tackle position while also signing inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds . The Giants then drafted Arvell Reese to put alongside of the latter.
New York 's run defense was atrocious in 2025, so the Giants made sure to restructure the unit to better position it against the ground game.
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Yes, Dexter Lawrence was lost in the process, and that stings, but he was subpar last season, and it was clear the two sides had reached the point of no return.
But even sans Lawrence, New York's defense is incredibly intriguing, and the hidden ingredient that could transform the unit into one of the NFL's best is size.
It may sound simple, but it's the truth.
Reader is 330 pounds in the trenches. Edmunds stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 251. Reese is 6-foot-4, 243. These are some big boys, and it should also be noted that Edmunds possesses a ridiculous 6-foot-11 wingspan.
New York Giants linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.
This just wasn't the case for the Giants last year, who had the six-foot, 234-pound Darius Muasau getting significant playing time at middle linebacker with Micah McFadden (who is 6-foot-2, 232 pounds) out for the season due to a foot injury.
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John Harbaugh values big, strong football players, and he has certainly built a roster full of them over the last several months.
One sure-fire way to improve your run defense is to get bigger and nastier, and there is no question New York has done that.
Is it a be-all-end-all solution? No, but let's be real: the Giants are now a much more menacing group than they were a year ago when they couldn't stop anyone.
Even New York's secondary is pretty physical, and we're already seeing Deonte Banks rise up the Giants depth chart due to his size at cornerback.
There is more to a defense than size, but it's certainly a major component, and Big Blue has that in droves.
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Not only that, but New York's defenders are also very athletic. The Giants drafted Reese because he is a freak. Edmunds has always been a terrific athlete. Brian Burns , Abdul Carter and Kavyon Thibodeaux are all dynamos.
The jury is obviously out on New York's defense until we actually see it on the field in meaningful action, but there is a whole lot to like about this group heading into 2026.
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