The NFL draft has come and gone in 2024, and the honest truth is that this New York Giants’ roster still has legitimate areas of concern.
Cornerback is the glaring question mark — despite the franchise selecting Kentucky CB Andru Phillips in round three — along with offensive line depth and the quarterback room. But an underrated uncertainty is the depth along the defensive front.
With Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Bobby Okereke and Kayvon Thibodeaux leading the way, the Giants front seven is considered a strength. Having said that, a rotational veteran or two would go a long way in reinforcing this group in case of injury.
USA Today Giants Wire writer Dan Benton suggested several potential post-draft options in free agency on April 29, including a scheme fit with coaching ties to new NYG defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
“If the Giants want to add another edge rusher — and they should — Bud Dupree is a familiar face to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen,” Benton noted.
A former first-round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015, Dupree just turned 31 years old in February. At the height of his career, the defensive playmaker signed a five-year contract worth $82.5 million with the Tennessee Titans, but he never quite lived up to the payday and was released with just under $34 million in earnings.
Still, Dupree has built up a reputation as a pass rush specialist over the years. Heading into 2024, the veteran has 53.0 career sacks, 90 QB hits and 70 tackles for a loss. His 6.5 sacks with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 would have ranked second on the Giants behind Thibodeaux.
Giants Cannot Trust Azeez Ojulari as Top OLB Backup in 2024
Benton voiced that the Giants “should” sign one more edge rusher before the 2024 campaign, and he makes a valid point.
Behind Burns and Thibodeaux, you have Azeez Ojulari and a collection of special teamers and flyers at the edge rusher position. And the case could certainly be made that Big Blue cannot trust Ojulari to provide any sort of impact after two injury-ruined seasons.
The former second-round selection’s 5.5 sacks in seven 2022 appearances were efficient, but there’s been a decline in production after the injuries. Ojulari only combined for 2.5 sacks in year three, and it’s unclear which player the Giants will be getting inside a new system in 2024.
Dupree would shore up the rotational depth behind the starting duo — and this is a position where more rotation is recommended.
Thibodeaux logged close to 1,000 defensive snaps a year ago. That snap count ranked fourth for all NYG defenders according to Pro Football Focus, but it also ranked fourth for all edge rushers around the NFL.
Only Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter and Aidan Hutchinson were on the field more — which is fine — but a few more plays off should improve Thibodeaux’s sub-par 6.4% pass rush win-rate and 14.3% missed tackle rate, making him a more efficient edge defender overall.
Giants Still Need to Clear Cap Space in Order to Make Final Free Agent Additions
Dupree likely wouldn’t cost much at this stage of free agency (he signed for $2.49 million guaranteed in 2023). However, that doesn’t change the fact that the Giants need to clear more cap space if they want to explore one or two more veteran additions.
The front office has a little over $5.44 million in available cap space at the moment (per Over the Cap) and that’s before coming to terms with their draft picks.
Rest assured, there are two relatively simple ways to clear up space. One would be to move on from Darius Slayton at wide receiver.
Slayton is a productive and underrated wideout, but he’s requested a new contract, and the team just replaced him as the WR1 when they drafted Malik Nabers first round. With the Giants hoping to develop draft picks Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson into legitimate long-term options alongside Nabers, it’s hard to see where Slayton fits into the future.
A late offseason cut of Slayton would free up $3.8 million in cap space, while a trade would clear a useful $6.4 million — and potentially get back some sort of future draft capital.
The other possible cap casualty is tight end Darren Waller. The Giants selected Theo Johnson out of Penn State in round four, and although they didn’t admit it, the 6-foot-6 pass-catching TE feels like a Waller replacement.
With the veteran dragging his feet on a retirement decision all offseason, NYG could end up making one for him. A post-June 1 release would save the Giants a whopping $11.625 million in cap space. Considering Waller’s lack of clarity this spring, a move like that could be seen as a no-brainer to some.
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