Rakeem Nunez-Roches, IDL
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 307 pounds
2021 stats: GP 17 / GS 10: 33 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks
One of New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen's first moves once the free agency window opened was to sign defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches to a three-year, $12M contract. The former Buccaneer was brought over to help the Giants defense, one of the worst in the league last year when defending the run, improve in this area.
Nunez-Roches addresses another glaring need that the Giants faced last season: allowing Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams to rest. Lawrence, who had a breakout season in 2022 with 7.5 sacks, played a career-high 864 defensive snaps (82%).
Williams had lingering injury issues all season but barely came off the field when he did play. Nunez-Roches, who has starter experience and the ability to step in at any given moment in case of injury, is more than capable of playing his gaps and stuffing the run. He had just one missed tackle last season and has never missed more than four in a season dating back to 2018.
The Giants had players like Henry Mondeaux and Justin Ellis as primary depth pieces behind Lawrence and Williams. Nunez-Roches is an immediate upgrade and will undoubtedly greatly impact this upcoming season.
Best Case Scenario
The Giants' defensive line is regarded as one of the top units across the league. Adding Nunez-Roches to a group that already had Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams, along with A’Shawn Robinson, who was signed later in the offseason, has to have Wink Martindale ecstatic to work with this group.
The best thing that Nunez-Roches can do is simply stick to his game. His strength is stopping the run; he had 20 run stops last season. He was brought over for that specific reason.
Helping take the load off of Lawrence and Williams will be key for this Giants defense to take the next step in having a dominant front seven. Nunez-Roches possesses good size and athleticism to make the plays on the interior that the Giants have lacked from their depth pieces at this position in recent years.
Worst Case Scenario
The worst thing that could happen in Nunez-Roches’ case is he struggles to translate his style of play to this new system. It shouldn’t be a problem, as he’s adjusted to a new team before, but Wink Martindale runs a complex scheme. If he can’t handle that and does not perform on game days, then serious concerns will arise.
However, Nunez-Roches is a seasoned veteran, and fans shouldn’t worry about this.
What to Expect in 2023
Nunez-Roches was sought out by the Giants early because he fits what they need. A talented, athletic run stuffer that will help the interior of the defensive line. He will certainly hear his name called a good amount on Sundays, as he should be a consistent player on defense all season.
He could even start, depending on the game plan for that specific scenario. He’s not a superstar interior lineman, but Giants fans will certainly become familiar with Nunez-Roches’ name quickly as the season gets closer.
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