The New York Giants announced a few roster moves on December 2, two of which were formalities.
“We have placed DL Dexter Lawrence and TE Theo Johnson on IR,” they noted on X. This was considered “likely” since Friday, November 29, but the Giants elected to wait until the start of the new work week to finalize the two injury designations.
They also signed a replacement defensive tackle, Cory Durden, off the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad.
Durden first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State in 2023. He signed with the Detroit Lions organization for his initial training camp but failed to make the 53-man roster.
From there, he was picked up by the Rams — seesawing on and off the active roster since September of 2023.
According to Pro Football Reference, Durden has appeared in four regular season games with the Rams, accumulating 3 total tackles. He’s a large body at 6-foot-4 and 316 pounds, and he turns 26 years old in January.
For now, Durden will serve as another younger flier for head coach Brian Daboll’s staff to take a look at as they retool for next season — assuming everyone is back for another year.
New Giants DL Cory Durden’s College Scouting Reports Describe Him as Nose or 3-Tech DT With ‘Relentless Effort’
At North Carolina State, Durden registered 58 total tackles, 8 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and 1 pass breakup in 25 games. He also spent another three years at Florida State, racking up 68 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles in 32 games.
NFL Network scouting expert Lance Zierlein described him as “a zero-technique nose tackle” that is “more likely to be considered as an even-front three-technique at the next level.”
“His body control and contact balance are often spotty due to his upright playing style, but he finds ways to recover and get himself back in the play,” Zierlein wrote in spring of 2023. “He’s good at locating the football and hustles hard to chase the play down, but Durden lacks the ability to control the point of attack or consistently disrupt NFL blocking schemes.”
NFL Draft Buzz also complimented Durden’s “wide base and a low center of gravity,” as well as his “quick first step [and] fluid movements off the ball.”
Both Zierlein and NFL Draft Buzz credited him with adequate to good play strength and “relentless effort.”
Durden will join a shrinking interior defensive line that now features veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches, rookie UDFA Elijah Chatman, third-year draft pick D.J. Davidson and second-year draft pick Jordon Riley. Big Blue also has rookie UDFA Casey Rogers and 26-year-old journeyman Elijah Garcia available on the practice squad, should they need them.
Final Numbers From a Career Season for Dexter Lawrence & a Promising Rookie Year for Theo Johnson
Lawrence and Johnson’s respective seasons are expected to be over with just five games remaining and a minimum of four weeks on the injured reserve — not to mention their long-term prognosis. Both were bright spots in an otherwise miserable campaign for the Giants.
Lawrence posted a career-best 9.0 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss in just 12 starts. At the conclusion of Week 13, he also finished second behind Brian Burns in quarterback pressures for all NYG defenders with 36 (via Pro Football Focus).
On December 2, ESPN beat reporter Jordan Raanan relayed that “Dexter Lawrence is leading all defensive tackles in the most recent Pro Bowl voting. He is the only Giants player in the Top 10 at his respective position.”
Johnson will end his rookie season with 331 receiving yards and 1 touchdown off 29 receptions (43 targets). One area Johnson will look to improve on in year two is his drop percentage, which finished at an 11.6% (5 total drops), but he showed a lot of promise as a pass-catcher during his age-23 campaign.
Big Blue will hope to develop their new starting tight end more in 2025.
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