How NY Giants can Unlock the Best from DL Chauncey Golston

One of the many offseason moves that the New York Giants made this offseason was to sign hybrid defender Chauncey Golston.

Golston, a third-round pick by the Cowboys in 2021, signed with the Giants on a three-year deal worth $18M with $12M fully guaranteed. That type of guarantee says everything it needs to about how the Giants value Golston in this defense.

The Circumstance

Golston struggled in the past to consistently crack the rotation, but played some of the best ball of his career.

Golston spent the first part of his career behind Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, both of whom limited his available playing time.

In 2024, Golston’s role expanded to be a more consistent contributor due to injuries to Lawrence, but also due to Golston continuing his development.

Usage-wise, Golston played significantly more on the edge than he had earlier in his career, compared to his snaps on the interior.

The Cowboys would line Golston up mostly as a 5-technique or a 4i, allowing him to work primarily against offensive tackles.

Despite having one of the highest team pressure rates in the NFL, the Cowboys also had one of the worst pass defenses in the league on a per-play basis.

Defending the run, the Cowboys also allowed the third-most yards per carry in the NFL, allowing 4.8 yards per carry, worse than the Giants’ 4.6 yards per carry allowed.

When watching film, it’s not hard to see why the defense failed. They lacked discipline and consistent direction as a unit.

Based on his 2024 film, I don’t necessarily think Golston was used poorly, but rather not in a way that maximized his skillset.