Philadelphia Eagles: Ranking the defensive tackle units of the NFC East

2. New York Giants

The New York Giants have two very good defensive tackles, Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence. They have solid depth, including 2022 fourth-round pick D.J. Davidson, and could theoretically field a top-15 defense versus the run and the pass under the tutelage of Wink Martindale.

So why, you may ask, are they third on this list? Well, two reasons really: 1. Williams and Lawrence, though good, have never really broken out in the same way as some other performers on this list, and 2. There’s no guarantee that either performer put up huge numbers in the Giants’ new defense, as defensive tackles weren’t exactly dominant performers, at least statistically speaking,

Top performer: Leonard Williams 

In 2021, Williams was the Giants’ performing interior defensive lineman, and under Martindale, that probably isn’t going to change. With experience playing in a 4-3 and 3-4 defensive alignment, Williams should be a three-down performer who can play multiple techniques across the team’s defensive front and soak up bodies for the rushers around him.

While it may not translate to sack production, and Williams will likely remain underrated league-wide as a result, his presence in the middle of the field could shore up the front and allow the rest of his teammates to eat.