Three defenders the Giants should consider targeting this offseason

New York Giants linebacker Victor Butler reportedly has been suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Butler will miss the first four games of next season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported Friday.

The suspension weakens Butler’s chances of making the roster, as he already was competing against free-agent additions Jonathan Casillas and .

Butler, a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2009, played four seasons in Dallas. He signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2013 but suffered a torn ACL during training camp.

Last year, the Saints released him following training camp, and he went on to play two games for the Indianapolis Colts. The Giants signed him after the season.

The New York Giants have a lot of holes on offense to fill, but their defense could be one of the best in the NFL with a few additions. With the exception of their own upcoming free agents, here are three defenders the Giants should look at signing this summer to boost their roster.

Despite recording a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2023, the former first-round pick placed 66th in total pressures generated (44). The Giants recorded the fourth-lowest sack total in the NFL this season (34). Given these circumstances, the squad should acquire another threat off the edge. And if GM Joe Schoen is ready to spend, Huff should be at the top of his list.
The former undrafted free agent built on a promising 2022 season with a full-fledged breakout in 2023, establishing himself as one of the league’s best rookie edge rushers. In 17 games with the Jets, Huff led the team with 10 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 21 quarterback hits. His success was not exclusively due to playing for an exceptional Jets defense line; Huff was tied for sixth among NFL edges in pass-block victory rate (22%), according to ESPN Analytics.
It’s worth mentioning that ESPN’s Rich Cimini recently speculated that Huff may be looking to get a $20 million per year contract this offseason. However, Spotrac’s determined market value predicts that Huff’s next deal will be for four years and cost approximately $36.9 million. Huff will most likely earn a deal that falls somewhere in the center of these two forecasts, which should not worry the Giants, who begin the offseason with $19.5 million in salary room.