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Pundits reveal why Giants’ defense could improve even after Dexter Lawrence trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fans of the New York Giants were devastated when Dexter Lawrence II was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft. Lawrence demanded to be shipped after he and the Giants could not agree on his contract extension.
His departure was a huge loss to the team’s defense, as he was the sturdy anchor of the interior line. It was also a tough blow for coach John Harbaugh, who could have had an All-Pro tackle in his first year with the Giants.
But even after Lawrence’s exit, ESPN’s Mina Kimes believes that New York’s defense, which will be led by Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, might actually be better.
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“I think they should be improved, even with the loss of Dexter Lawrence, and that is a massive loss, literally. But they did a few things I love. One of which was to shore up the linebacker position, which is something, by the way, John Harbaugh knows the importance of,” said Kimes.
“It was such a weakness for them last year, and a big part of why they were abysmal in run defense—the Giants have really, really talented pass rushers, but they’re not big.”
Last season, New York allowed 145.3 rushing yards per game, the second-worst in the NFL.
Kimes’ fellow analyst, Marcus Spears, echoed the observation, noting that Harbaugh is known for utilizing speed.
“All of those linebackers can run. They can get sideline to sideline. How fast they diagnose, how fast they get to the football is going to be paramount,” added Spears.
“When you start talking about athletes that can move around in space, that can find the football, and how they will probably swarm because that’s the culture that he’s setting, this defense should be markedly improved.”
He also stated that Harbaugh is an expert at “setting a culture,” having experienced it first-hand during his stint with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013.
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