For once, the New York Giants have a problem they’re eager to solve.
After acquiring edge rusher Brian Burns before the 2024 season and pairing him with first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants built a formidable pass rush that ranked among the league’s best, finishing with only eight teams recording more sacks. Yet, general manager Joe Schoen didn’t stop there—he added even more talent to the mix.
With the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, New York selected elite edge rusher Abdul Carter, widely regarded as the top player in the class. Together with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, this group forms one of the most talented defensive fronts in the NFL. This pass rush will be the cornerstone of the Giants’ success, but with three star edge rushers competing for essentially two primary spots, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen faces a critical challenge in maximizing their impact this offseason.
During minicamp, the Giants hinted at inventive ways they plan to get Carter on the field and wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
Abdul Carter
We want to get our best 11 players on the field by whatever means necessary,” Bowen said. “There’s versatility with Abdul, who played off the ball early in college, and that flexibility extends to Burns as well.”
Carter has only one full season as a dedicated edge rusher, having spent much of his time at Penn State as an off-ball linebacker—a skill set that drew comparisons to Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons. Like Parsons, Carter could see snaps in coverage or in the box, creating mismatches, especially when attacking the A-gap against centers unprepared for his speed and power.
More often, the Giants look set to deploy Carter, and possibly Burns and Thibodeaux, as an interior rusher alongside Lawrence on passing downs. This strategy allows the team to field their four best pass rushers simultaneously, enhancing stunt opportunities and making their defense nearly impossible to contain.
Burns captured the group’s versatility perfectly: “We’re similar but different, which lets us interchange and add a ton of flexibility in third-down packages and throughout the game. It’s really exciting.”
With an All-Pro defensive tackle, a Pro Bowl edge rusher, and two first-round talents all on one unit, opposing offenses face an almost impossible task trying to neutralize the Giants’ pass rush. There’s simply no way to double-team them all, and New York can confidently send four rushers to consistently apply pressure.
Burns summed up the team’s depth and firepower better than anyone else, highlighting the formidable challenge this pass rush poses for opponents.