The New York Giants’ run defense has been a weakness for several years now. Despite having one of the game’s most dominant interior defenders in Dexter Lawrence II, the Giants’ defensive line lacks depth on the interior, resulting in an inability to consistently defend the run. Adding some depth behind Lawrence on the interior this offseason will be a priority and another option has recently entered the free agency pool.
Giants could target veteran DT Sheldon Rankins in free agency
The Cincinnati Bengals released DT Sheldon Rankins on Friday. The veteran interior defender will be a free agent this offseason and could become a top option for the Giants to consider targeting.
Rankins will be 31 this season and is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he started only seven games for the Bengals. Injuries and a “viral illness” kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season but there is optimism that Rankins could bounce back in 2025 with a new team.
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He totaled 18 combined tackles and one tackle for loss in his limited time on the field last season. Rankins has consistently been an above-average run defender throughout his career. He has played in 116 games across his nine-year career with 246 combined tackles and 44 tackles for loss.
If the Giants want to take a cheap flier on a veteran then Rankins could fit the bill. Coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the majority of the year, plus his advanced age, Rankins will be had at a low cost in free agency. But he would be able to serve as an upgrade for the G-Men, providing some experience and stability to the defensive line when healthy.