Giants' Darius Alexander: Records 3.5 sacks in rookie season
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Alexander totaled 20 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, and a defensed pass over 16 games (two starts) during the 2025 campaign.
After being selected by New York in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Alexander was a healthy scratch Week 1. However, he played in every contest the rest of the way and maintained a fairly steady rotational role. Alexander didn't get into the sacks column until he logged a half-sack in Week 8, but he concluded the campaign with 3.0 sacks over his final six contests. Alexander's strong finish could earn him consideration for a starting role next year.
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Giants' Deonte Banks: Has reduced defensive role in 2025
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Banks played in 16 games (six starts) during the 2025 campaign, tallying 31 tackles and five defensed passes. He also returned 19 kickoffs for 622 yards and a touchdown.
After starting each of the first 29 regular-season games of his NFL career, Banks couldn't hold onto a starting role last season, as Paulson Adebo and Cor'Dale Flott (knee) emerged as the Giants' starting outside cornerbacks when healthy. That unsurprisingly resulted in Banks logging career-low marks in defensive snaps (457), tackles (31) and defensed passes (five). Banks did, however, get his first professional action as a kick returner, and the highlight of his campaign was a 95-yard kick-return TD in Week 17. Banks will be in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2026, and given his reduction in defensive playing time last year, it seems unlikely New York will pick up his fifth-year option.
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Giants' Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles: Misses seven games in 2025
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Flannigan-Fowles registered 33 tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and one defensed pass over 10 games (three starts) during the 2025 campaign.
It was a rough first season in New York health-wise for Flannigan-Fowles -- his seven missed games came as a result of multiple issues, including injuries to his calf, hamstring and neck as well as an illness. Still, he saw more playing time on defense than in previous campaigns and finished with career-high marks in defensive snaps (224) and tackles (33). Flannigan-Fowles was playing on a one-year contract, so he's now slated to be an unrestricted free agent.
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Giants' Roy Robertson-Harris: Steady role in first season in NY
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Robertson-Harris posted 35 tackles and one defensed pass over 17 games (all starts) in 2025.
After working mostly in a rotational role in 2024 during stints with Jacksonville and Seattle, Robertson-Harris returned to a full-time starting role in his first campaign with the Giants. He didn't put up gaudy stats but did provide a steady veteran presence along the team's defensive line. Robertson-Harris will be in the final season of his two-year contract in 2026 and should continue to provide depth and leadership for New York's defense.
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Giants' Darius Muasau: Absorbs significant role in Year 2
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Muasau (ankle) started 11 of the 12 games in which he played in 2025, totaling 51 tackles (including 1.0 sacks) and one defensed pass.
Muasau began the campaign in a rotational role, but Micah McFadden suffered a foot injury in Week 1 and never returned to game action, leaving the former with a starting role. Muasau dealt with injuries as well -- he spent four games on IR due to an ankle injury and also sat out one contest early in the campaign due to a concussion -- but he typically logged defensive snap counts north of 60 percent when he was healthy. Muasau suffered an ankle injury in Week 18, and it's unclear if it's an issue that will affect his availability for OTAs. He has two years remaining on his rookie contract and should play a role on defense for the Giants next year, though whether or not he'll continue to start could depend on the health of the team's other inside linebackers.
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Giants' Dru Phillips: Has up-and-down second season
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Phillips notched 66 tackles and 12 defensed passes, including two interceptions, along with a fumble recovery over 17 games during the regular season.
Phillips began the season as a starter but moved in and out of that role throughout the campaign due to his middling performance. Despite that, the 2024 third-round draft pick paced New York in defensed passes (12) while tying for the team lead with two pickoffs. Phillips will be in the third year of his rookie contract next season, though it remains to be seen what his role will be in 2026.
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Giants' Abdul Carter: Comes on strong near end of season
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Carter concluded his rookie campaign with 43 tackles, including 4.0 sacks, along with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 17 contests.
Carter was selected third overall in last April's NFL Draft, so expectations were naturally quite high for him coming into the season. The Penn State product was credited with a half-sack in his regular-season debut but then went 11 weeks without getting back into the sacks column. Fellow edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux missed the final seven games of the season due to a shoulder injury, and that seemed to open things up for Carter, who tallied 3.5 sacks over New York's final five contests. Part of the reason for the surge may have been interim head coach Mike Kafka taking over and holding Carter more accountable, benching the rookie for parts of games as a consequence for tardiness and absences from team activities. If Carter is able to put those issues behind him and build upon his strong finish, he could be poised for a breakout next season.
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Giants' Brian Burns: Enjoys best season of career
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Burns totaled 67 tackles, including 16.5 sacks, along with seven defensed passes, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 17 games during the 2025-26 campaign.
Burns started the season on a heater with 5.0 sacks over his first four games and never looked back. His final total of 16.5 sacks was as many as he recorded over the previous two seasons combined, established a new career-best mark, and ranked second in the NFL. Burns earned his third Pro Bowl nod for his outstanding campaign and certainly justified the five-year, $141 contract he received from New York in March of 2024.
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Giants' Paulson Adebo: Logs 12 games in first year in NY
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Adebo posted 73 tackles and eight defensed passes (including an interception) over 12 contests during the 2025-26 season.
Adebo joined the Giants during the offseason and started all 12 games in which he appeared. However, the Stanford product missed five games due to a knee injury, and he's played in just 19 contests over the past two campaigns. Adebo did record the second-highest tackle total of his career, but he had his fewest interceptions since 2022. He should be back as one of New York's starting cornerbacks in what will be the second campaign of his three-year contract next season.
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Giants' Dane Belton: Improves in fourth campaign
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Belton concluded the 2025-26 regular season with 120 tackles (including 2.0 sacks), five defensed passes (including an interception) and three forced fumbles over 17 contests.
Belton began the campaign as a rotational defensive back, but he started nine of New York's final 10 games. That helped the 2022 fourth-round draft pick more than double his previous career-high mark for tackles in a season, and the three forced fumbles were also a career best. Belton doesn't grade out as an elite defender, but he buoyed his value to the Giants by thriving on special teams. He's slated to become a free agent, and it's unclear if New York will attempt to bring him back.
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Giants' Bobby Okereke: Concludes campaign on high note
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Okereke tallied six tackles (three solo), an interception and a fumble recovery in Sunday's 34-17 Week 18 win over Dallas. For the campaign, he posted 143 stops (including 1.0 sacks) along with six defenses passes (including two interceptions) across 17 contests.
Okereke came on strong in the turnover category late in the campaign, with both of his interceptions and his lone fumble recovery taking place over the final two weeks. Beyond that, the veteran linebacker put together another big season of tackling, leading New York with 143 stops and tying for 10th overall in the league in that category. Okereke missed five games due to injury last year, but he's otherwise been very durable, playing all 17 regular-season contests four of the past five campaigns. Okereke will be in the final season of his four-year contract next year.
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Giants' Rico Payton: Getting evaluated for concussion
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Payton was evaluated for a possible concussion during Sunday's 34-17 win versus the Cowboys, Evan Barnes of Newsday reports.
Payton tallied a career-high seven tackles in Week 18, but it looks like he may have been hurt in the process. With the Giants eliminated from postseason contention, he'll have until the new league year to rest and recover from any injury.
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Giants' Cor'Dale Flott: Placed on IR
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Flott (knee) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Flott had already been ruled out for Sunday's season finale against the Cowboys, so this move was just a formality. He tallied 38 total tackles with one interception and one forced fumble across 14 games in 2025.
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Giants' Rakeem Nunez-Roches: Ruled out for Week 18
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Nunez-Roches (ankle/toe) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Nunez-Roches ended Week 18 prep with a DNP on Friday and will end up missing the last four games of the regular season due to ankle and toe injures. The veteran defensive lineman will finish the 2025 regular season with 23 tackles (six solo), including 3.0 sacks, and one pass defense across nine games. Nunez-Roches will be a free agent once the 2026 offseason commences.
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Giants' Jevon Holland: Out for Week 18
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Holland (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
Holland's absence Sunday comes as no surprise, as the first-year Giant didn't practice all week after sustaining a knee injury in the Week 17 win over the Raiders. The Oregon product appeared in 14 games this season, tallying 63 total tackles and five passes defensed, including one interception. Beau Brade is expected to start alongside Dane Belton in the Giants' secondary while Holland is sidelined in Week 18.
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Giants' Cor'Dale Flott: Won't play Sunday
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Flott (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
Flott didn't practice all week and is now in line to miss his second consecutive game due to a knee injury sustained in the Week 16 loss to the Vikings. The 24-year-old has finished his 2025 campaign with 38 total tackles, 11 passes defensed, including one interception, and one forced fumble over 14 appearances. Deonte Banks is expected to draw another start at outside corner while Flott is sidelined Sunday.
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Giants' Abdul Carter: Ready for Sunday
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Carter (illness) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
The 2025 first-round pick from Penn State upgraded from DNPs on Wednesday and Thursday to a limited practice Friday, suggesting he's moved past his illness in time to play in Sunday's season finale. Carter has started to heat up over the Giants' last four games, recording 16 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles during that span. Now fully healthy, he's expected to operate as one of New York's top outside linebackers in the Week 18 divisional matchup.
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Giants' Roy Robertson-Harris: Dealing with knee injury
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Robertson-Harris (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Matt Citak of the Giants' official site reports.
Robertson-Harris likely tweaked his knee during the Giants' Week 17 win over the Raiders, when he finished with three solo tackles. He'll have two more opportunities to log a full practice ahead of Sunday's NFC East tilt against the Cowboys.
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Giants' Rakeem Nunez-Roches: Limited to open Week 18 prep
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Nunez-Roches (ankle/toe) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Matt Citak of the Giants' official site reports.
Nunez has missed the Giants' last three games due to ankle and toe injuries, but he's started Week 18 prep on the right foot with a limited practice. He'll have two more opportunities to increase his practice participation and potentially avoid an injury designation heading into Sunday's regular-season finale against the Cowboys.
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Giants' Jevon Holland: Doesn't practice Wednesday
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Holland (knee) didn't practice Wednesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
The Oregon product sustained a knee injury in the Week 17 win over the Raiders, and Wednesday's DNP suggests he's still managing the issue. Holland has appeared in 14 games during his first season with the Giants, recording 57 total tackles and five passes defensed, including one interception. He likely needs to upgrade to at least limited practice Thursday or Friday in order to suit up for Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
