Every NFL offseason comes with its own game of musical chairs, and the Giants’ defensive line is suddenly short on open seats.
After years of scrambling for trench depth, general manager Joe Schoen has stockpiled talent up front—and someone is about to lose their spot.
Draft reinforcements change the equation in the trenches
The Giants used their 2025 NFL Draft to build from the inside out, investing early and often in their defensive front seven.
Abdul Carter, their prized third overall pick, brings versatile pass-rushing skills that can impact the edge or line up inside on occasion.
Alongside him, Toledo’s Darius Alexander was one of the most underrated picks of the draft and could be a day-one starter next to Dexter Lawrence.
Alexander plays with a low center of gravity and excellent burst, ideal for clogging gaps and collapsing pockets from the interior.
This sudden youth injection gives the Giants the luxury of not having to depend on aging veterans to carry a full workload anymore.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches could be the odd man out
At 31 years old, Rakeem Nunez-Roches was never brought in to be a long-term answer but rather a rotational depth piece.
Last season, he logged 608 snaps—far more than expected—due to injuries and lack of depth, and his limitations were exposed.
He finished with just 13 pressures and 26 total tackles, struggling both in run defense and offering minimal impact as a pass rusher.
Now, with Darius Alexander ready to contribute, there’s little reason to continue allocating cap space toward a declining rotational veteran.
Nunez-Roches is set to carry a $5 million cap hit in 2025, but cutting him would free up $3.6 million in salary relief.
For a front office looking to get younger, cheaper, and more explosive, that’s a hard number to ignore heading into training camp.
Giants have enough depth to make tough calls
Jordan Riley and DJ Davidson are still in the mix, along with Jeremiah Ledbetter and Roy Robertson-Harris, both signed in free agency.
This group brings experience and versatility, but the difference this season is they won’t be leaned on to play high snap totals.
Dexter Lawrence remains the engine of the unit, and if Alexander can step in as expected, the Giants can afford to be selective.
Carter’s flexibility also allows the coaching staff to experiment with various alignments, meaning fewer players are guaranteed a secure role.
With younger, more affordable pieces on the roster, cutting Nunez-Roches would simply be a financially responsible decision that opens doors for development.
Youth movement signals a philosophical shift
New York’s approach this offseason wasn’t about patching holes—it was about reshaping the team with players who bring both upside and cost control.
The Giants aren’t just planning for 2025; they’re quietly building the core of their next playoff team through disciplined roster management.
For players like Nunez-Roches, that likely means becoming a casualty of progress, even if he still offers something as a backup.
But in today’s NFL, where every dollar counts and every roster spot is evaluated with future upside in mind, sentimentality gets pushed aside.
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