Giants’ joint practice with Dolphins confirms a growing suspicion about the defense, and the implications could be massive
New York’s pass rush is a true weapon, and the defense has several game-changing players at the position.
The New York Giants had a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins ahead of their preseason game on Saturday, and the pass rush was every bit as disruptive as expected. The Giants’ edge group generated sacks and pressures at an alarming rate under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, confirming what has been a growing suspicion throughout training camp. This front could carry New York’s defense in 2026.
Miami is in a rebuilding phase, piecing together a new offensive line around quarterback Malik Willis. But for the Giants, the competition level across the line of scrimmage was secondary to what their own pass rushers put on tape.
Dominant performance from the edge
The Giants’ first-team defense set the tone early. Safety Jevon Holland blitzed off the edge to generate a sack. Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded multiple pressures. Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Chauncey Goldston all registered sacks as well, with Goldston getting his on a bootleg from Willis. Burns and Carter created consistent problems against the Dolphins’ offensive line throughout the session. Even Giants head coach John Harbaugh was struck by the unit’s intensity.
“It was ferocious,” Harbaugh said. “That’s practice. So you’ve got to come to do it in the game, but I was impressed with it.”
Later in practice, Dru Phillips added a sack on a nickel blitz during a third-down period, and Arvell Reese recorded a stop at the line of scrimmage. Reese has been working as an off-ball linebacker so far, even though he has the versatility to eventually transition to the edge.
The formula for building an identity
The Giants have that pass-rushing ability from the edge because they invested heavily at the position. Carter, Burns, and Thibodeaux form what could be one of the best edge groups in the NFL. Having that many talented players in the same room is rare, and it gives Wilson multiple ways to scheme pressure on any given snap.
Thibodeaux is in the final year of his deal, playing under the fifth-year option, but he remains part of the plans for now. The Giants need that to stay afloat, because they have real questions elsewhere on defense. The secondary, and the cornerback group in particular, remains a concern. The ability to generate pressure up front and create havoc can mitigate those problems in the defensive backfield before they become liabilities. That combination makes the pass rush central to New York’s identity in 2026.
The offense is growing with young quarterback Jaxson Dart at the helm, but the edge group will be responsible for carrying the load on the other side of the ball. If they can perform the way they did against the Dolphins in Thursday’s joint practice, it represents a massive step forward for the identity the Giants want to build in 2026 and beyond.
