Getting tougher against the run should be the priority for the New York Giants defensively in 2025, and it can start with better tackling from on-field signal-caller Bobby Okereke.
The gifted and versatile middle linebacker is the most notable name at the top of a list no Giants defensive player should want to lead. Namely, Okereke was among those guilty of the most missed tackles on last season’s unit, with fellow inside ‘backer Micah McFadden even more culpable.
As Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic bluntly put it, the G-Men “simply need better play from their linebackers. McFadden led the team with 15 missed tackles, while Okereke was third with eight.”
Putting Okereke’s name front and centre isn’t to single out the 28-year-old. It’s more to do with his status as a veteran leader and former high-priced signing in free agency.
In short, Okereke is supposed to be a tone-setter from the most active spot within the front seven. He has the talent to be one of the best in the NFL at his position, but Okereke’s form has been erratic, hampering the rest of the defense’s efforts to swarm to the run and put hats on the ball without giving up big plays.
Instead, numbers show the Giants suffer from a boom-or-bust approach to defending the ground game.
Giants Hurt by Familiar Weakness vs. the Run
There’s no middle ground with the Giants’ run defense. Big Blue defenders either stop rushing plays at source or play chase as running backs escape for long gains.
This disparity was summed up when “the Giants finished fourth in the NFL in the percentage of opponents’ runs that went for zero or negative yards (22.5 percent), according to TruMedia, they also allowed the second-most runs (19) that went for 20-plus yards,” per Carroll.
Unfortunately, many of those breakaway runs were surrendered against former Giants Pro Bowl back Saquon Barkley. He joined NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency and promptly rushed for over 2,000 yards, thanks is no small parts to runs like this one against his old team in Week 7.
Notice how easily Okereke was absorbed in the hole by the blocking back. Okereke lost the physical battle, while McFadden (41) was engulfed and put on skates by left guard Landon Dickerson (69).
A 3-4 defense like the one the Giants run can’t work if its inside linebackers are unable to take on and shed these kinds of blocks. McFadden and Okereke’s failures gave Barkley a clean run at the safety, who took a bad angle coming downhill.
This is how defenses consistently yield big plays on the deck. The remedy begins with beating blocks before making cleaner tackles.
It didn’t happen last season, with Carroll citing Next Gen Stats showing “the Giants were one of six teams to surrender more than 1,000 yards after missed tackles last season.”
Better play from Okereke will be key to fixing this flaw.
Bobby Okereke Must Lead Revival for Run Defense
The Giants need a revival against the run, and Okereke can lead it if he builds a better rapport with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and the play-caller’s system. Okereke also needs to stay healthy after missing three games with a back problem last season.
When he’s on the field, the 6-foot-2, 235-pounder must play a more physical brand of football. Okereke has to produce more plays like this one against the Washington Commanders, highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View.
The linebacker took on a pulling offensive lineman, won and wrapped up running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Part of the reason the Giants don’t make enough of these plays is a lack of size, with McFadden weighing less at 232 pounds. Neither Okereke nor McFadden are big-bodied thumpers at the heart of the line of scrimmage, while the Giants have trouble keeping blockers off their linebackers.
That issue stems from the absence of another defensive lineman able to take advantage of the attention paid to All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II. It’s unlikely to change, even after the Giants signed Roy Robertson-Harris in free agency and selected Darius Alexander in the 2025 NFL draft. Both are more adept putting pressure on the pocket than stuffing the run, with Alexander’s amoeba-like skills better suited for third-down work.
Superior technique and a greater appetite for the rough and tumble of the running game will only take the Giants so far, but Okereke and Co. may still struggle to overcome a lack of bulk.
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