The New York Giants couldn't have asked for a better time for their Week 8 bye, just two Sundays before the NFL's annual trade deadline, when plenty of players are expected to change jerseys as priorities shift in the second half of the 2026 season.
For the Giants, who sit at 4-2-1 atop the NFC East during their bye week, the focus is on making the improvements needed to help John Harbaugh's roster pile up more wins and potentially capture their first division crown since 2011 and first playoff berth since 2022.
One area that could stand in the way of that goal is the defensive line, once again one of the league's least productive units. It has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game and the second-highest yards per carry in the league.
The Giants have to be largely pleased with the efforts of their two veteran signings, D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, who were brought in to provide experience after the Dexter Lawrence II trade left a massive void.
Behind them, the rest of New York's young core just hasn't been rising to the occasion, leaving observers to question whether the franchise should bring in another veteran before the trade deadline so the unit doesn't keep going off the rails whenever Reader and Harris come off the field.
With DeForest Buckner and Jeffrey Simmons, arguably the top two defensive linemen on the trade block, now gone, here are a few additional options the Giants could consider if they want to shore up their defensive line depth.
Oct 11, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the Giants' limited cap space a big factor in their trade deadline activity, the main question is whether they want to gamble on a rental or go for a player with more contract security.
For the latter route, a possible option is Roy Lopez of the Arizona Cardinals. Lopez, 29, is in the first year of a two-year, $10.5 million contract.
If the Giants struck a deal with Arizona for Lopez, he would cost them $117,647 in base salary for every week he is on the roster, plus $20,000 per game played this year. In 2027, he'd cost them $4.11 million total (including roster bonuses and a workout bonus).
Lopez has been active for 85 of 87 career games since 2021. He has also been one of the more productive gap stuffers at his position, making 18 tackles, including 16 run stops, tied for the fourth-most in the league among defensive tackles with at least 200 snaps.
Oct 4, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; New York Giants nose tackle Austin Johnson (98) closes in on Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports
If the Giants wanted to roll the dice on a player who would probably cost them very little in salary cap space and definitely wouldn't cost them a draft pick, they could look at old friend Austin Johnson, a free agent.
Johnson, 6-foot-4 and 314 pounds, started his career with the Tennessee Titans in 2016 and spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Giants. After that, he spent time with the Chargers, Bills and Jaguars before landing back on the Bills' practice squad this year, where he was released on Oct. 27.
Johnson has played 10 NFL seasons, appearing in 145 games with 56 starts. He has 272 tackles (136 solos), 17 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks and 13 pass breakups.
His best season came in 2021 with the Giants. That year he recorded career highs in tackles (72), sacks (3.5), tackles for loss (6), and quarterback hits (7).
Again, Johnson's appeal is that he could be a bargain, and the Giants, already down to six draft picks for 2027, wouldn't have to give up any assets to get him.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/giants/onsi as Two More Defensive Tackles the Giants Can Pivot to After Simmons and Buckner Trades .
