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Analyst says improved pass rush ‘doesn’t make Giants a contender’
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- Analyst says improved pass rush ‘doesn’t make Giants a contender’
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The post Analyst says improved pass rush 'doesn't make Giants a contender' appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The New York Giants have had an interesting offseason this year. They completely reworked the offense, especially at quarterback, signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and then drafting Jaxson Dart .
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Then, they added some great talent on defense, notably Abdul Carter , whom they picked with the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The improvements to their roster on both sides of the ball have led some to speculate that the Giants could make a postseason run.
The defense, in particular, got much better over the offseason. Dexter Lawrence II has been a force up front for years in the interior, but Brian Burns , Kayvon Thibodeaux , and now Carter make this defensive front seven one of the best in the entire NFL.
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark said on NFL Live that he thinks the Giants have one of the best defensive lines in the league, and thanks to those four, he believes teams should be scared to play them week in and week out .
"I don't necessarily think that this makes the Giants a contender, but who is going to want to block this front when you're facing them week after week?" Clark questioned.
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The NFL is a pass-first league, so when a team like the Giants has four every-down linemen that can attack the quarterback from numerous angles, it immediately gives them a leg up on the rest of the league. Lawrence does most of his damage on the inside, while the other three are mainly on the outside, so the creativity that New York can utilize with that trio is massive.
The Giants enter the 2025-26 NFL season as one of the biggest wildcards in the NFL. They should be better because of how much of a struggle last season was, but the better question is, how much better?
The quarterback position belongs to Wilson for now , but after drafting Dart, he could take over the job sooner rather than later. They also have one of the best young playmakers in the NFL in Malik Nabers , who adds fuel to that potential.
The Giants defense is an X-factor this season. The defensive line will carry the Giants to multiple wins, but time will tell if Clark is right and they are not quite a contender regardless of how scary their defense will be.
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