The New York Giants have the league’s worst run defense, according to Sumer Sports’ EPA/play statistic.
They give up an average of 154.2 rushing yards per game, something that just isn’t sustainable for any NFL defense.
New York is working to fix it, starting with the firing of assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox over the bye week.
The Giants also added to their line, signing a familiar face, defensive tackle Casey Rogers, to the practice squad, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Rogers will have the opportunity over New York’s final four games to prove he can be a contributor in 2026.
Hometown Legend Casey Rogers
Rogers began his NFL career with the New York Giants, signing as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon after the 2024 draft.
He only appeared in two games for the Giants in 2024, before spending the 2025 offseason with the Buffalo Bills.
Rogers was unable to make the final 53-man roster, but stayed ready and in shape in hopes of landing elsewhere.
The 26-year-old was born in Columbus, Ohio, but attended high school in Syracuse, New York, and has long-standing ties to the area.
In high school, Rogers was a lacrosse star and initially committed to Syracuse to play for the legendary program.
He then changed his mind, decommitting from the Orange and choosing to play college football.
Rogers started his career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers before transferring to Oregon in 2022, where he would wrap up his college football career with the Ducks.
In between NFL teams, the National Lacrosse League’s Philadelphia Wings announced in November that Rogers signed a three-year deal with the club to play professional lacrosse.
With his addition to the Giants’ practice squad, it remains unclear if his commitment has been put on hold or shelved entirely.
Will Casey Rogers Help the Giants’ Run Defense?
While the addition of Rogers isn’t expected to transform the New York Giants’ run defense at this point in the season, the front office is likely just looking to see who can stick around and contribute ahead of 2026.
The Giants’ current defensive line room is relatively thin. Dexter Lawrence is a stud, of course, but Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Roy Robertson-Harris, D.J. Davidson, and Darius Alexander haven’t exactly been world-beaters this year.
Rogers will have the chance to learn the Giants’ defense on the practice squad under new defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen.
Maybe then he’ll get some rotational reps over New York’s final few games.
Giants Final Opponents Rushing Efficiency
Over the New York Giants’ final four games, they’ll face the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys.
The only real threat to their weak run defense is the Commanders, who are ranked as the sixth-most efficient running team in all of football according to Sumer Sports.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys, Vikings, and Raiders rank 20th, 21st, and 32nd, respectively.
While currently in control of the No. 1 overall pick, New York will have a chance to be competitive in at least some of these games.
We’ll see if Rogers can make an impact.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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