'He should've been Defensive Player of the Year' — NFL knows Giants' Super Bowl caliber pass rush starts with Dexter Lawrence

The New York Giants are tied for the third-fewest wins since 2015. The once-proud franchise has just two more victories than the bottom-feeding Jacksonville Jaguars.

That just goes to show how bad things have been over the last 10 seasons.

But there's actual room for optimism heading into 2025. Not only do the Giants have potential short- and long-term options at the quarterback position - they have a Super Bowl-caliber trait in the form of their pass rush.

Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter is about as lethal as a team can get and it all starts with Lawrence, who was recently named the best defensive tackle in the NFL by league executives, scouts, and coaches. He's an elite talent that can both defend the run and get after the quarterback.

Add in the fact he does it from the interior defensive line, it makes him all the more valuable and the Giants defense that much better. With him collapsing the interior, it should open up all kinds of opportunities for Burns and Co. to make big plays on opposing quarterbacks.

"I thought he should have been [Defensive Player of the Year] with the season he had," an NFL personnel director said. "He's a true zero-technique nose who can occupy doubles and neutralize the run game. I think he took his pass rush to a different level, and I think he would have had double-digit sacks if (Brian) Burns and (Kayvon) Thibodeaux stayed healthy. A true three-down game wrecker who needs attention every single snap." - Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

Pro Football Focus gave Lawrence 10.0 sacks last year, which placed him fourth among all interior defensive linemen. His biggest issue was missed tackles, where he logged a rate of 12.8%. That number needs to come down dramatically and if it does, he could easily find himself in the DPOTY conversation.

What may be most impressive, though, is Lawrence was only flagged once in 2024. Considering all the action and movement in the trenches, it's nearly impossible for offensive and defensive linemen to stay clean and he nearly did it. Other elite iDL like Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, and Chris Jones were hit with at least four penalties apiece last year - that goes to show how even the best draw flags.

But getting back to the Giants' pass rush: it doesn't stop with the aforementioned guys, either. Free agent pickups Chauncey Gholston and Roy Robertson-Harris are really good role/rotational players and rookie second round draft pick Darius Alexander's strength is getting after the quarterback. If those guys prove their worth than the Giants could easily have the best pass rush in the entire NFL.

That kind of firepower can add 2-3 wins on its own. While the Giants still have plenty of work to do in order to get back to a yearly playoff contender, they have a key part of their foundation set and it can certainly help lead the team to brighter days as soon as this year.