The New York Giants are coming into the 2026 NFL season with a ton of enthusiasm. Given a new head coach in John Harbaugh and some impressive young pieces on the roster, the upside with this team is extremely high.
However, they are continuing to tweak the roster as the roster cut window draws closer. Their most recent move was to add C.J. Okoye to bolster their defensive tackle depth. But for some fans, that is a direct indication of what the future holds for second-year star Darius Alexander .
A third-round pick for the Giants last year, Alexander slowly carved out a role for himself. A solid contributor, he totaled 3.5 sacks, 20 tackles, four tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits, ranking at number 66 on PFN's Defensive Tackle Impact Metric.
The expectation was that he would continue to grow in the role heading into the 2026 season. But a slow start to the preseason has fans worried if he'll even make it to the official 53-man roster.
After trading a seventh-round pick in 2028 to acquire Okoye, who finished at number 102 on PFN's Defensive Tackle Impact Metric, those worries are starting to get even louder.
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"Darius Alexander may not make the roster," one fan claimed immediately afterward.
Another fan came to the same conclusion , expressing his shock, "Darius Alexander [is] really getting cut, man."
A New York fan, Coily Sue, also wondered if the Alexander news was inevitable, adding, "Oh might be over for Darius Alexander."
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However, many people believed that it was an understandable decision by the Giants, given the lack of growth the youngster had showcased so far. One fan said, "Darius Alexander had every opportunity to earn a spot. He just wasn't good enough."
Some fans took a harsher approach , writing, "Boom. Peace out, Darius Alexander, you [expletive]." Another fan went a step further, adding, "Darius Alexander is lucky if he makes the practice squad."
However, being cut as the team settled on its 53-man roster wasn't the only avenue. One fan argued , "Could see this possibly paving the way for a Darius Alexander trade."
Given his status as a third-round pick, some fans were left understandably peeved at the development: "Darius Alexander may actually get cut. What a disappointment."
Some even joked that his performance in the third preseason game is what inspired the decision, claiming, "Harbaugh saw Darius Alexander get blown off the ball last night and said, 'Nope, I'm not putting up with this [expletive] all year.'"
A success story of the International Pathway Program, Okoye spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons on the Chargers' practice squad before being released and signing with the Ravens in January 2025, where he ended up becoming a contributor last year.
As a result, Harbaugh clearly sees the upside in him, as he adds more talent to their front seven.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
