Super Bowl-winning free agent suggested as a possible replacement for Dexter Lawrence of the Giants.
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Lawrence Guy, a free agent who won the Super Bowl, might offer the defensive line depth that the New York Giants need to help Dexter Lawrence II.
Guy is a player who The Athletic’s Dan Duggan says “may be added for depth after the draft.” Duggan suggested Nick Williams, a former defensive tackle for the Giants, as another possible option.
After A’Shawn Robinson signed a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers in 2024, there is a clear need for some experienced skill up front. According to Duggan, “the Giants are left with Lawrence and not much else,” and he feels that “they really need a young defensive tackle like Riley or DJ Davison to make a leap.”
Now that free agency has subsided, giving Lawrence a team-friendly contract would add a seasoned and adaptable tackle ideal for the Giants’ 3-4 defense. especially for the approach that Shane Bowen, the new defensive coordinator, has prepared.
Lawrence Ideal Guy for Shane Bowen’s Protection
With Bowen taking over for Don “Wink” Martindale as play-caller, the Giants will employ an opponent-focused defensive akin to that of the New England Patriots.
That’s convenient considering Guy played for the Patriots in the 2019 Super Bowl during his seven seasons there. Guy continuously demonstrated his value as a lineman who could play tackle or end and was very skilled against the run from both positions. After allowing the second-most yards per rush in the league last season (4.7), the Giants require a reliable run-stuffer in the trenches.
In actuality, the Giants’ 2022 total of 5.2 yards allowed per carry was an improvement above that figure. Robinson was mostly to blame for the improvement.
Guy, who helped the Patriots allow a league-low 3.3 yards per attempt, might step in now that he’s gone. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound player often dominates guards; one of his biggest plays came in 2021 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he overpowered Alex Cappa, as Aaron Day of DLineVids captured. Guy made a tackle on this play because of his strong core, but he can also create big plays for other players just as well. The primary responsibility of any 3-4 lineman is to take on blocks and maintain linebackers clean so they can make tackles, and Guy is still among the finest.
When he jammed and stopped six-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson against the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, he lived up to that reputation. Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar praised Guy’s effort to this run stop.
Guy has importance for the Giants because of these plays and his contributions to the Patriots’ stout run defense from the previous season. in particular in favor of Lawrence.
Dexter Lawrence Requires Aid
Over the past two years, Lawrence has emerged as one of the NFL’s most powerful players at his position. However, the Giants need more than just to make No. 97 an island that opponents can quickly overwhelm with several blockers and make insignificant.
The Giants need at least one more lineman to be a threat on game days in order to keep their finest defensive player from becoming an afterthought. Guy has the credentials, but a younger player making a name for himself would be great for the Giants.
One of the obvious choices, according to Duggan, to provide Lawrence with the assistance he requires is Jordan Riley. Riley, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft, showed promise.
One of Riley’s best plays came against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16. It was a run stuff against Kenneth Gainwell, broken down by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View. Having Riley control blockers inside can free Lawrence up to work the edge more often, where he has a higher ceiling as a pass-rusher. Learning from a veteran presence like Guy would only increase Riley’s chances of becoming the lineman Lawrence and the Giants need.
