With NFL free agency set to begin Monday, the Giants have plenty of non-quarterback holes to fill.
Which isn’t exactly surprising, considering they were a 3-14 debacle in 2024.
One of those holes is on the defensive line. The Giants do have an elite interior defensive lineman, Dexter Lawrence. But they need someone reliable to pair with him. And they need to stop the run.
So could they sign Jonathan Allen, whom the Commanders just cut?
Let’s break down that question.
Allen, 30, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Commanders. He has flaws, but he would be an upgrade from Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who underwhelmed the past two seasons as a free agent addition — and could now get cut, to free up $3.6 million in salary cap space.
Plus, the Giants last season finished 23rd in Pro Football Focus' run defense ratings — a huge problem for coordinator Shane Bowen, who returns for his second (and maybe final) season in East Rutherford. The Giants also stunk against the run in 2023, finishing 27th.
As for Allen, he was limited to eight games last season by a torn pectoral muscle. But from 2018-23, he missed just three games and made two Pro Bowls (2021 and 2022). So durability really isn’t an issue for him.
There is no doubt that Allen can rush the quarterback. That has long been one of his strengths. From 2020-24, he registered PFF pass rush grades of 83.7, 90.9, 81.1, 77.6 and 68.5.
But his run defense during that stretch wasn’t nearly as effective, with grades of 60.8, 54.6, 66.5, 37.9 and 42.2.
Allen’s poor run defense the past two seasons is something the Giants and Bowen need to take a long look at. Because pass rush is one of the few things they did well last season on either side of the ball. They were seventh in PFF’s ratings, even with Lawrence missing five games.
Nunez-Roches was actually a better run defender than Allen in both of the past two seasons, with still-underwhelming grades of 43.8 in 2023 and 50.2 last year. But unlike Allen, Nunez-Roches is a low-impact pass rusher — grades of 50.5 and 53.1 the past two seasons.
And Nunez-Roches will be 32 when next season begins — essentially two years older than Allen. Getting rid of him makes sense.
The Giants just need to ask themselves if Allen is the right replacement and upgrade, given their needs.
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Darryl Slater may be reached atdslater@njadvancemedia.com.