EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The inevitable became official today when the Giants placed Dexter Lawrence on injured reserve. Though he is eligible to return after four games, the move certainly ends the season of the team's best defensive player, who suffered a dislocated left elbow in the Giants' Thanksgiving Day loss in Dallas.
Lawrence's absence figuratively and literally creates a large hole in the middle of the Giants' defensive line. The 340-pound nose tackle is a two-time Pro Bowler who leads the team with a career-high 9.0 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. Lawrence is also a three-time team captain and the vocal and inspirational leader of the defense.
So, what will the defense do without him in the season's final five games beginning Sunday against the New Orleans Saints in MetLife Stadium?
"I think, the reality of it is we're going to miss him," said outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who returned to the field eight days ago after missing five games with a wrist injury. "But this is going to be a great test and a great evaluation on everybody around him, the back end, the front end. We kind of joked about it as, 'Dex can't be the crutch. Dex can't be our excuse on why we're playing well or why we're not playing well.' We all kind of got to each step up to the plate, knowing that one of our top guys isn't there anymore. As far as leadership goes, it's up to us in the front end and the back end to continue to step up, where he's now missing."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2024 cycle.
DT Cory Durden - Free Agent Signing from LAR Practice Squad (December 2)
DL Dexter Lawrence - Reserve/Injured (December 2)
TE Theo Johnson - Reserve/Injured (December 2)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 27)
DL Armon Watts - Reserve/Injured (November 27)
T Joshua Miles - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
CB Greg Stroman Jr. - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
TE Greg Dulcich - Claimed off Waivers from DEN (November 26)
OLB Azeez Ojulari - Reserve/Injured (November 26)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exemption (November 26)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Activated, from Reserve (November 23)
QB Tim Boyle - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 23)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
QB Daniel Jones - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (November 20)
TE Jordan Murray - Practice Squad (November 20)
T Tyre Phillips - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
QB Tim Boyle - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Garret Greenfield - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Joshua Miles - Practice Squad Veteran (November 12)
P Matt Haack - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 12)
K Graham Gano - Activated from Injured Reserve (November 9)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
CB Art Green - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Practice Squad (November 6)
T Joshua Miles - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 6)
P Matt Haack - Practice Squad Veteran (November 6)
K Graham Gano - Designated for Return/Returned to Practice (November 6)
CB Nick McCloud - Waived, No Recall (November 5)
P Matt Haack - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (November 5)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (November 2)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (November 2)
K Greg Joseph - Reserve/Injured (November 2)
K Jude McAtamney - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 2)
T Marcellus Johnson - Practice Squad (October 30)
T Garret Greenfield - Practice Squad (October 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 30)
S Gervarrius Owens - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 29)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
CB Greg Stroman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
OLB Boogie Basham - Practice Squad Veteran (October 24)
DL Armon Watts - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (October 22)
OLB Boogie Basham - Waived, No Recall (October 22)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 19)
OT Chris Hubbard - Free Agent Signing (from SF Practice Squad) (October 18)
OT Andrew Thomas - Reserve/Injured (October 16)
DT Armon Watts - Practice Squad Veteran (October 15)
CB Duke Shelley - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 15)
P Matt Haack - Free Agent Signing (October 12)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Reserve/Injured (October 12)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
OLB Benton Whitley - Practice Squad (October 8)
G Cade Mays - Signed to CAR Active Roster from NYG Practice Squad (October 8)
ILB Matthew Adams - Activated from Injured Reserve (October 5)
OLB Benton Whitley - Waived, No Recall (October 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
LB Matthew Adams - Returned to Practice (October 2)
WR Kearis Jackson - Practice Squad (October 1)
CB Greg Stroman - Practice Squad Veteran (October 1)
TE Joel Wilson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
DB Alex Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE Lawrence Cager - Terminated (Injury Settlement) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
CB Duke Shelley - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 25)
LB Ty Summers - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (September 25)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 24)
TE Joel Wilson - Practice Squad (September 24)
TE Lawrence Cager - Practice Squad; Injured (September 24)
CB Art Green - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Patrick Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (September 17)
K Greg Joseph - Free Agent Signing from DET Practice Squad (September 17)
K Graham Gano - Reserve/Injured (September 17)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Reserve/Injured (September 14)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
WR Chase Cota - Waived, Injury Settlement (September 13)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (September 10)
G Cade Mays - Practice Squad Exception (September 10)
OT Marcellus Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 10)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Free Agent Signing (September 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Practice Squad Veteran (September 9)
LB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad; Injured (September 9)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Carter Coughlin - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 7)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad Veteran (September 6)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 6)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 5)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 4)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 3)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 2)
WR Miles Boykin - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 2)
CB Adoree' Jackson - Free Agent Signing (August 31)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 31)
S Gervarrius Owens - Practice Squad (August 30)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (August 29)
C Austin Schlottmann - Reserve/Injured (August 29)
DB Duke Shelley - Practice Squad Veteran (August 29)
DE Elijah Garcia - Practice Squad (August 29)
DB Art Green - Practice Squad (August 29)
LB Curtis Bolton - Free Agent Signing (August 28)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 28)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, WR Isaiah Hodgins, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, OT Joshua Miles, LB Ty Summers - Practice Squad Veteran (August 28)
LB K.J. Cloyd, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller, DL Casey Rogers - Practice Squad (August 28)
S Anthony Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from GB (August 28)
S Gervarrius Owens - Waived, No Recall (August 28)
LB Matthew Adams - Reserve/Injured - Designated for Return (August 27)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Reserve/Injured; Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
LB Darrian Beavers, LB K.J. Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, C Jimmy Morrissey, DT Casey Rogers, TE Jack Stoll - Waived (August 27)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, DB Tre Herndon, WR Isaiah Hodgins, DB Darnay Holmes, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, DB David Long, OT Joshua Miles, OT Matt Nelson, WR Allen Robinson - Terminated, Vested Veteran (August 27)
DB Mario Goodrich, G Jalen Mayfield, DE Ovie Oghoufo - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
RB Joshua Kelley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Breon Borders - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Jonathan Sutherland - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
DT Timmy Horne - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
WR Ayir Asante, DT Kyler Baugh, DB Christian Holmes, DB Clayton Isbell, WR John Jiles, LB Trey Kiser, RB Lorenzo Lingard, T Marcus McKethan - Waived, No Recall (August 25)
DB Clayton Isbell - Free Agent Signing (August 20)
WR Dennis Houston - Waived/Injured (August 20)
DT Kyler Baugh - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
LB Trey Kiser - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
DL Ryder Anderson - Waived/Injured (August 19)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Injured (August 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
TE Tyree Jackson - Waived/Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 16)
RB Joshua Kelley - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Raheem Layne - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Jonathan Sutherland - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
DL Jordan Phillips - Traded to Dallas Cowboys (August 15)
S Jalen Mills - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Failed Physical (August 15)
DB Elijah Riley - Reserve/Injured (August 15)
RB Lorenzo Lingard - Free Agent Signing (August 12)
RB Jacob Saylors - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
OT Evan Neal - Passed Physical (August 11)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 11)
CB Christian Holmes - Claimed off Waivers from WAS (August 5)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived/Injured (August 5)
CB Mario Goodrich - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (July 31)
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury (July 31)
OL Greg Van Roten - Free Agent Signing (July 30)
CB Aaron Robinson - Waived, Failed Physical (July 30)
DB Breon Borders - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
QB Nathan Rourke - Waived, No Recall (July 28)
TE Theo Johnson - Passed Physical (July 28)
OT Evan Neal - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
DB Jalen Mills - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
TE Theo Johnson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 16)
RB Jacob Saylors - Free Agent Signing (June 18)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Injured (June 18)
CB Tre Herndon - Free Agent Signing (June 12)
TE Darren Waller - Reserve/Retired (June 10)
S Tyler Nubin - Selection List Signing (May 31)
DB Elijah Riley - Free Agent Signing (May 30)
RB Gary Brightwell - Waived, Injured (May 30)
TE Theo Johnson - Selection List Signing (May 22)
LB Darius Muasau - Selection List Signing (May 15)
CB Dru Phillips - Selection List Signing (May 14)
DL Elijah Chatman - Free Agent Signing (May 13)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Waived (May 13)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. - Selection List Signing (May 10)
WR Malik Nabers - Selection List Signing (May 10)
K Jude McAtamney - Free Agent Signing: Exempt/International Player (May 10)
WR Ayir Asante, WR John Jiles, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, G Jake Kubas, DE Ovie Oghoufo, DL Casey Rogers - Free Agent Signing (May 10)
RB Deon Jackson - Waived, Injured (May 10)
WR Allen Robinson - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
QB Nathan Rourke - Claimed off waivers from New England (May 7)
DB David Long - Free Agent Signing (May 1)
Giants select LB Darius Muasau with No. 183 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. with No. 166 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select TE Theo Johnson with No. 107 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select CB Dru Phillips with No. 70 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select S Tyler Nubin with No. 47 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select WR Malik Nabers with No. 6 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
DB Nick McCloud - Restricted Free Agent Signing (April 15)
LB Matthew Adams - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 12)
DL Jordan Phillips - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 11)
WR Miles Boykin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 9)
S/LB Isaiah Simmons - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 5)
RB Dante Miller - Free Agent Signing (April 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Free Agent Signing (March 24)
CB Darnay Holmes - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OT Matt Nelson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OL Austin Schlottmann - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
TE Chris Manhertz - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
TE Jack Stoll - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 15)
OL Jon Runyan - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
RB Devin Singletary - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
QB Drew Lock - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
DB Jalen Mills - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR/PR Gunner Olszewski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
LB Carter Coughlin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OLB Brian Burns - Acquired via trade with Carolina Panthers (March 13)
LB Benton Whitley - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
G Mark Glowinski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 4)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
LB Tomon Fox - Reserve/Future Signing (January 10)
DL Ryder Anderson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
WR Dennis Houston - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
RB Deon Jackson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
G Jalen Mayfield - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Joshua Miles - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
The Giants began the season with five captains. Quarterback Daniel Jones requested and was granted his release on Nov. 23, and tackle Andrew Thomas and Lawrence are sidelined with season-ending injuries. Thomas underwent surgery after hurting his foot against Cincinnati on Oct. 13.
The only remaining captains are linebacker Bobby Okereke and long-snapper Casey Kreiter. How do the Giants fill the leadership void?
"We try to have the same mentality you do when you play," said wide receiver Darius Slayton, a six-year veteran who joins Lawrence as the longest-tenured Giants. "You have a 'next man up' mentality and obviously nobody is ineligible from leading. If you're going to do the right thing and set the right example and encourage guys and bring guys along, then anybody can lead."
"Obviously, he (Lawrence) is our rock in the middle there," linebacker Micah McFadden said. "Not only on the field, but he's our captain and our leader off the field. He's a voice within our locker room and especially on the defensive side of the ball. It's a big blow to us.
"It's difficult when you don't have that caliber of a player on the field. He's always doing his job and he's going to make sure that A-gap (between the center and guard) is closed every time he's in there. Got to get these other guys ready to step up to play and get more reps for them, which I think will be good. Obviously, we have a young team. So, the more reps those guys can get, it can only help us."
Asked if the Giants' defensive scheme will change without Lawrence, Thibodeaux said, "I think it will change other teams' scheme on us, definitely."
Lawrence was one of three defensive linemen hurt against the Cowboys. Rakeem Nunez-Roches sustained a stinger in the second half and D.J. Davidson was limited to 10 snaps after hurting his shoulder. Coach Brian Daboll will address their status on Wednesday. The Giants were already down a lineman because Armon Watts was placed on injured reserve last week with a shoulder injury.
In the final quarter in Dallas, the Giants were down to two interior defensive linemen, second-year pro Jordon Riley and rookie free agent Elijah Chatman.
The Giants today added a defensive tackle when they signed tackle Cory Durden off the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad, where he had spent the entire season. Durden, 6-4 and 316 pounds, joined the Rams as an undrafted rookie from North Carolina State in 2023. He was credited with three tackles in four games last year.
Durden is not going to post Lawrence-like numbers. Nobody will.
"I mean, we just keep trucking forward," Thibodeaux said. "I think it's you lose any player. When the team lost me, you kind of keep pushing forward. When the defense loses guys, the offense loses guys, we just got to continue to individually get better and understand that somebody has to fill that void in the leadership role and from the scheme."
When the player you've lost is Dexter Lawrence, that is much more difficult than it sounds.
*The Giants also placed rookie tight end Theo Johnson on injured reserve with a foot injury he suffered in Dallas. Johnson's 29 receptions are the most on the Giants among players who aren't wide receivers. They gained 331 yards, and his 11.4 yards-per-catch is the team's second highest behind Slayton's 14.0. Johnson scored one touchdown, on a 35-yard reception against Washington on Nov. 3.
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