When the New York Giants were winning Super Bowl's just a few years back it was in large part because of the strength of their defensive line. With the likes of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan, it wasn't hard for New York to harass the opposing quarterback. That has not been the case in recent years.
Last season, the Giants finished with the 3rd lowest sack total in the NFL with just 23. This is why the Giants spent big money this offseason, to revamp their horrendous defensive line. Some of these moves included the re-signing of Jason Pierre-Paul and signing big name free agents like Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison. Here are some things to watch as training camp gets started.
What impact will newcomers Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison play on this defense?
When the Giants went out and snagged Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison this offseason they had two goals in mind; Stop the run and get to the quarterback.
Vernon has been excellent at getting to the quarterback since he came into the NFL in 2012. In 64 career games played, Vernon has totaled 29 sacks and forced four fumbles. This is the kind of production the Giants are hoping to get from Vernon, especially after they gave him $52.5 million in guaranteed money.
While some people have pointed to the stats that show Vernon has just one double-digit sack season to his resume, the Giants did not pay him only for what he has done but also for what they believe he can become. They are placing bets on Vernon, who is just 25, to blossom into one of the league's premiere pass rushers, something he is well on his way to doing.
As for Damon "Snacks" Harrison, his specialty throughout his career has been to stop the run. This is something the Giants will need him to do well as they struggled last season finishing 24th in the NFL giving up over 120 rushing yards a game. Last season Harrison had 39 solo tackles, solid numbers for an interior defensive lineman.
The Giants hope now is that Harrison will be able to team up with fellow defensive tackle, Jonathan Hankins, and become one of the more formidable DT duos in the NFL.
What level can Jason Pierre-Paul play at?
First off, it was a miracle that Jason Pierre-Paul was able to play at all for the Giants last season. Despite missing tackles and getting tripped up by the massive club on his hand, JPP was still able to play pretty well under his circumstances.
The Giants believe he can get back to a Pro Bowl level after ditching the club and getting a new custom glove to wear in games this season. The big question is how improved will Pierre-Paul be without the club and a full year to practice?
For the Giants, all they can hope is that JPP can get back to the level he played at in 2011 and 2012. If he can get even close to that the Giants could very well go from a historically bad D-line to one of the greatest groups in the NFL today.
Which other defensive linemen will make the cut?
Heading into training camp the Giants currently have 15 defensive linemen on the roster. The question now is how many and who will they keep?
Kerry Wynn, Pierre-Paul, Owa Odighizuwa and Vernon should all make the roster for defensive ends. As for defensive tackles, Harrison, Hankins and Jay Bromley appear as the locks for the defensive tackle spots. With just a few locks there are many spots up for grabs.
Some players to watch will be Louis Nix III and Montori Hughes.
