Brian Burns talks secret weapons of New York Giants defense, ‘you’re gonna have to pick your poison…’

Brian Burns highlights the problems offenses will face against Giants’ defense

The Giants have put a lot of work into building a threatening defense in recent months, which all started with the acquisition of Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers.

Burns was actively looking for a trade, and Giants GM Joe Schoen took a big swing when he traded a second and fifth round pick for the disgruntled pass rusher. They then swiftly paid him a $150 million extension to become a leader in their defensive front.

Since making that move, the Giants have continued to develop the depth around Burns, and this offseason may be the most important yet when it comes to completing the project.

The Giants added safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo in free agency, who will team up with young promising talents in Tyler Nubin, Dru Phillips and Deonte Banks in the secondary.

They then spent their third overall pick on defensive end Abdul Carter, and dipped back into the defensive pool in round three selecting defensive tackle Darius Alexander.

Burns spoke confidently about the serious depth they have in the front seven and explained the difficulty offenses will face in trying to stop the rush.

“You’ve got to pick your poison in a sense because Dex (Dexter Lawrence) is a non-negotiable. You have to put four hands on him regardless. You can chip the edges, that’s perfectly fine as well, but somebody’s going to have a one-on-one, and with the talent that we have on this d-line, and in this room, I see us winning in multiple ways.”

Dexter Lawrence is one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen in the NFL, and as Burns explained, he often occupies two blockers. That could then leave Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux or Burns himself in a one-on-one matchup, which is going to be a problem for quarterbacks and the time they need to throw the football.

Burns hints at underrated playmakers on Giants defense

The Giants have invested a lot of draft capital and even more money into this defense, but the talent extends way beyond the stars.

Burns said he was excited to see what third rounder Darius Alexander can do while playing alongside Dexter Lawrence on the interior, but also spoke glowingly about Chauncey Golston.

Golston spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys and posted a career-high seven sacks in the 2024 season before hitting free agency. The Giants signed him to a three-year, $18 million contract, which could prove to be incredible business if he works out the way Burns feels he might.

“He (Golston) plays all across the line. He can play pass rushing, run blocking, it doesn’t really matter, so with the personnel that we have, we can do so many different things. He’s definitely going to be a key piece of this defense.”