Much of the focus for the New York Giants this offseason has been on coach John Harbaugh, quarterback Jaxson Dart and the offense. New defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson also deserves interest as he implements his scheme with a potentially dominant front.
"It's not going to be simple for an offense to read or understand exactly what we're doing, and that's the beauty in defense in my opinion," pass rusher Brian Burns said on the Giants Huddle podcast, via the team’s website. "And on top of that, you have world-class athletes at our size that can move around and do a lot of different things. I just feel like it's going to be organized chaos."
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The Giants boast horses up front with Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who can come at quarterbacks in waves. The offseason additions of 6-foot-4 inside linebackers Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds should help solidify the middle of the defense, a troubled spot a year ago.
"I have never seen that," Burns said. "Yeah, these are going to be the biggest [inside] linebackers I've ever played with. ... It does a ton [for the defense], honestly, and then they are two guys that can move sideline to sideline, great speed, closing speed, able to play in space, cover. So, it does a lot honestly because the run defense should be better with them because they're able to take on these blocks that's climbing up to them, as well as the versatility that we're going to have with this defense as far as blitzing and getting to different fronts just because of the size that they are."
Despite several additions, the secondary still enters with questions after underwhelming play last season. If the front seven can cause chaos like Burns projects, it will protect the back end from getting picked apart.