Giants $500K Veteran Tipped to Be Cut, Despite ‘Key’ Role

The best-laid plans sometimes go awry, a lesson the New York Giants seem set to learn at the cost of $500,000.

It’s the fee for dumping a veteran defensive lineman signed during 2025 NFL free agency and initially expected to play a “key” role. Unfortunately, that expectation is changing thanks to the continuing emergence of an undrafted standout who better fits the wave of pass-rushers the Giants are preparing to deploy up front this season.

The pricey vet likely to be pushed out of consideration to make the final 53-man roster is Jeremiah Ledbetter, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. He noted how during OTAs and minicamp, Elijah Chatman “was most often the third defensive lineman, which put him ahead of Ledbetter, who received $500,000 guaranteed this offseason and who the team views as a key piece to upgrade the run defense.”

Ditching their investment in former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ledbetter so soon would be quite an about-turn from the Giants. Yet, even though Duggan believes “the experienced Ledbetter could close the gap in training camp, but the Giants liked Chatman as an undrafted rookie last season. Chatman could have value in a limited role on passing downs, so it will be interesting to see if the Giants value pass rush or run defense more with their D-line depth.”

It’s an interesting argument based on Chatman’s upside, but other moves this offseason mean the Giants could still choose the functional run-stuffer over the more dynamic interior disruptor.

Giants Have Flexibility to Keep Jeremiah Ledbetter

Making run defense a priority is necessary after the Giants surrendered 4.6 yards per carry and 19 runs of 20-plus yards last season. Part of the problem has been poor tackling, but D-linemen have also struggled to clog rushing lanes and keep blockers off linebackers.

What the Giants need is bigger linemen able to control double teams and put up a wall against the run. Enter 6-foot-3, 295-pounder Ledbetter, who can play head-up over every offensive line position.

The 31-year-old’s ability to push the pile and stuff the run shows up consistently in these highlights from Cover 1’s Erik Turner.

Ledbetter is offering the kind of niche skills the Giants have lacked on the ground for too long. The Giants shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss Ledbetter’s unfashionable but necessary game, particularly when there’s no shortage of inside pass-rushers elsewhere on the depth chart.

Players like veteran Roy Robertson-Harris, Ledbetter’s ex-teammate with the Jags. There’s also 2025 NFL draft third-round pick Darius Alexander, whose amoeba-like talents will be a factor in the pass rush.

The presence of Alexander and Robertson-Harris, along with the ongoing, other-worldly brilliance of All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, means the Giants don’t need another pressure specialist up front.

It means Chatman will need to show other facets to his game during training camp to earn a roster spot.

Elijah Chatman Still Faces Uphill Battle to Make Giants Roster

Chatman did enough to be one of the stars of last offseason, and he even got onto the field often enough to make 21 tackles during the regular season. The former SMU stud also logged this sack of Deshaun Watson against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3, highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View.

He’s got the quick takeoff, raw power and closing speed to collapse the inside of the pocket consistently, but it’s hard to find a place for Chatman’s best traits. Hard when Robertson-Harris, Alexander and Lawrence will be supported by edge-rushers like No. 3 pick Abdul Carter and veteran Chauncey Golston lining up along the interior in passing situations.

Chatman’s better path to another roster spot is refining his play against the run. Making himself comparable to Ledbetter and 6-foot-2, 305-pound nose guard Rakeem Nunez-Roches.

The latter knows how to plug the run and was one of “the top two interior defensive linemen” putting in work this spring, according to Duggan. A Nunez-Roches and Ledbetter double act can give the Giants what they need against the run, something more valuable than keeping a place on the depth chart for yet another inside pass-rusher.