Giants’ Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns Recognized as 'Nightmare' Pass-Rushing Duo

There are plenty of questions surrounding this New York Giants team heading into the season. Who will ultimately win the starting quarterback job? Can Malik Nabers consistently get the ball, no matter who’s under center? And perhaps most importantly — what will it take for the Giants to avoid another underwhelming season and truly compete in what is arguably the most competitive division in all of sports?

But one thing is certain: Giants fans will be expecting star defenders Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns to wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball. The duo was recently recognized by Bleacher Report as the fifth-best pass-rush tandem in the league — and for good reason. Both players have delivered elite performances independently, and now together, they could form one of the NFL’s most feared defensive duos.

Lawrence is truly a freak of nature, standing 6-4 and weighing 340 pounds, combining rare size with surprising quickness. He’s used that unique blend of power and athleticism to dominate opposing offenses, posting 9 sacks, 44 tackles, and 8 tackles for loss last season alone. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined, he racked up an impressive 12 sacks, 121 tackles, and 14 tackles for loss.

A cornerstone of the Giants’ defense, Lawrence has been selected to the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons and named First-Team All-Pro by the NFLPA each of those same years. His dominance has earned the respect of even the league’s best offensive linemen — including future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce, who mentioned Lawrence on a Pardon My Take podcast when asked who was the hardest player he’s ever had to block.

“For me specifically,'' Kelce said, "in the second half of my career, Dexter Lawrence was a nightmare.”

On the edge, defensive end Brian Burns — a two-time Pro Bowler during his time with the Carolina Panthers — has already begun making his mark in New York. After arriving last season, he quickly established himself as a difference-maker for the Giants’ defense, earning recognition from Sports Illustrated as the team’s most improved player thanks to his standout performances in the 2024 campaign.

Even while battling injuries throughout the season, Burns managed to play all 17 games and still posted an impressive stat line: 8.5 sacks, 71 tackles, and 17 tackles for loss.

So while the Giants enter the season with many questions to answer and problems to solve, one thing they can count on is production from Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. If the duo can set the tone early, their dominance in the trenches could give the Giants the confidence, and momentum they need to compete in one of football’s toughest divisions.