New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence's season ended on Thanksgiving when an elbow injury cut short a career year. To that point, he wasn't just the team's best player, he was one of the game's inarguable elite.
Every week he headlined a New York defense that dealt with injuries and inconsistencies at edge rusher and cornerback, and every week the pass rush did enough because of Lawrence's impact in the middle of the defense line.
However, his injury left the unit exposed, and it struggled down the stretch. Thus, fans are all saying the same thing about the Giants' defensive tackles as they review the 2024 season.
Lawrence needs more help. Not for his sake, though. In just 12 games, Lawrence set career-high marks in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (eight), further entrenching himself as the best pass-rushing nose tackle on the face of the planet. He needs more help because a defensive tackle who can take advantage of his astronomical double-team rates would take New York's defense to the next level.
The 2024 season saw several players attempt to take on that role, but few found any semblance of success.
Undrafted rookie Elijah Chatman exceeded expectations, making the roster despite little hype entering camp. There were flashes, but he's best served as depth behind whoever's starting next to Lawrence.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches had that title for much of the year but struggled to produce in any meaningful capacity, finishing with two sacks and two tackles for loss.
D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley were the main replacements for Lawrence, largely serving as a reminder of what New York was missing. That's not an indictment on their talents as much as it is a referendum of how much weight Lawrence carried for this defense and how difficult it is to adequately fill his shoes.
New York also played a handful of fringe-roster pieces like Elijah Garcia, Armon Watts and Casey Rogers. Garcia flashed the most in limited action, and Rogers was signed to a futures contract after the regular season.
As a whole, Lawrence's dominance headlined the group, but much of the unit was made up of below-average pieces with too large of a role late in the year. Expect the Giants to address the position in some capacity during the offseason.
