Brian Burns recorded 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in 2025, finishing second in the NFL behind Myles Garrett and cementing himself as the unquestioned anchor of the Giants’ defensive front heading into 2026.
Behind him, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux give New York legitimate top-end depth at the position – on paper, one of the better edge groups in the league. The question John Harbaugh inherits is whether the talent around Burns can finally translate into consistent production.
SNY’s positional breakdown framed this group as stacked but uneven, and that framing holds. Burns is an elite headliner; the rest of the room is a collection of upside bets that have yet to fully cash in.
Bet On New York Giants With NFL Sportsbooks Today
| Sportsbook | Welcome Bonus | Claim Offer |
|---|---|---|
 |
$250 Welcome Bonus For NFL | Bet Now |
 |
$250 Crypto Welcome Bonus | Bet Now |
 |
125% Welcome Bonus Up To $1,250 | Bet Now |
 |
100% Welcome Bonus Up To $2,500 | Bet Now |
Brian Burns Is the Anchor – and the Standard for This Entire Group
Burns arrived in New York via a blockbuster trade with the Panthers in 2024, followed by a five-year, $142.8 million extension that made him one of the league’s highest-paid edge defenders immediately upon signing.
He responded by posting 8.5 sacks in his first Giants season, then nearly doubled that output with a monster 2025 campaign that earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press.
The 2025 numbers go well beyond the sack line. Burns produced 31 QB hits, 7 pass breakups, 67 total tackles, and 3 forced fumbles across 863 defensive snaps, earning a PFF pass-rush grade of 82.9.
Only Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan have ever posted more sacks in a single Giants season. Full stop.
Under John Harbaugh, Burns profiles as the every-down headliner on the strong side – a player who demands double-team attention on nearly every passing down and creates one-on-one opportunities for everyone else on the front. The entire defensive identity of this rebuilt Giants roster runs through him.
The Depth Behind Burns – Who Rounds Out the Edge Rusher Room
The supporting cast has real names attached to it, which matters. Here is the projected depth chart heading into camp:
- Brian Burns – Starter, elite headliner, 16.5 sacks in 2025, unquestioned No. 1
- Abdul Carter – Starter, rookie with late-season surge, 3.5 sacks in final four weeks of 2025
- Kayvon Thibodeaux – Key backup, fifth-year option, career defined by inconsistency beyond one breakout campaign
- Arvell Reese – First-round pick, primarily off-ball linebacker, expected contributor in pass-rush packages
Carter’s late-season burst is the most encouraging data point in the room outside of Burns himself. Three-and-a-half sacks in four weeks as a rookie is a legitimate preview of what he can become. Thibodeaux remains the wild card – 11.5 sacks in his second pro season looked like a breakout, but he has managed just 12 total sacks across his other three NFL campaigns combined. The concern with the depth is real and documented.
How Harbaugh’s Defense Uses the Edge Rusher Group
Harbaugh built his Ravens defenses around versatility and creative pressure packages – edge rushers who could line up inside on passing downs, stunts that generated free runners, and a willingness to manufacture pressure rather than simply rely on individual talent to win one-on-one.
That philosophy fits this roster well, as this site’s coverage of the Giants’ 2026 offseason rebuild laid out in detail.
Burns slides into the headliner role that Harbaugh has always built his best pressure packages around. Carter’s athleticism and Reese’s college edge experience make both players viable interior rushers on obvious passing downs.
The scheme demands that two or three players beyond Burns win consistently – the personnel is there to make that happen.
What Changed at Edge Rusher This Offseason and Why It Matters
The biggest offseason development at the position was not a transaction – it was Thibodeaux staying put. Trade rumors ran hard through the spring, and the Giants elected to keep him on his fifth-year option rather than deal him for draft capital.
First-round pick Arvell Reese adds another pass-rush option, though the organization has been clear he will primarily play off-ball linebacker.
On the contract side, Burns’ restructured deal carries a 2026 cap hit of approximately $36.6 million, a significant number that reinforces how central he is to everything the Giants build defensively.
The room did not add a proven veteran edge presence this offseason. The bet is entirely on internal development from Carter and Thibodeaux. That is either confidence or a gap, depending on how camp goes.
The Questions That Training Camp Still Has to Answer
Three legitimate questions hang over this position group entering camp. First, can Carter address the off-field discipline concerns – repeated late arrivals and meeting issues surfaced during his rookie year – and turn his late-season production into a full-season baseline?
Second, is Thibodeaux motivated to earn a second contract, or does a fifth-year option feel like enough of a parachute to limit his urgency?
Third, and most practically: no other Giants edge rusher produced more than 4.0 sacks in 2025 beyond Burns. The unit ranked 25th among 115 qualified edge rusher groups via PFF despite having arguably a top-five individual player.
That gap between headliner and supporting cast needs to close. Training camp is where that answer starts forming.
Betting the Giants in 2026 – What the Edge Rusher Depth Means for the Lines
The futures market has not fully priced in what a healthy, motivated edge group around Burns could mean for a Giants defense under Harbaugh. If Carter takes a second-year leap and Thibodeaux produces closer to his 2022 level, this unit can legitimately anchor a top-ten defense.
That kind of defensive infrastructure is what drives win total movement in the second half of NFL seasons.
The Giants’ win total is worth monitoring as camp reports emerge. A 4-13 team installing a Harbaugh system with a premier edge rusher group is a roster that the market may be undervaluing on the over.
The pass-rush ceiling here is real – bettors watching the NFC East futures board should treat any positive Burns or Carter camp news as a meaningful signal.
The Verdict – Burns Sets the Ceiling, Depth Sets the Floor
Brian Burns is one of the five best edge rushers in the NFL. Full stop. The Giants have built a legitimate top-end group around him on paper, with Carter’s upside and Thibodeaux’s talent giving Harbaugh real options in his pressure packages.
The floor of this unit depends entirely on whether those two deliver.
The next hard checkpoint is training camp, where Carter’s discipline, Thibodeaux’s engagement, and Harbaugh’s scheme install will signal clearly whether this group can close the gap between headliner and supporting cast.
Keep an eye out on NYSD for further updates on Brian Burns and the Giants as the 2026 season approaches.
About the Author
