The New York Football Giants have a stacked defensive front.
After drafting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft, head coach Brian Daboll can add him to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's impressive pass-rushing lineup featuring Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
That being said, general manager Joe Schoen will have to keep a close eye on the team's ledgers moving forward. Carter signed his four-year $45.255 million rookie deal on Thursday but some financial gymnastics had to be done to make it happen.
Per ESPN's Field Yates, in order for the team to remain salary cap-compliant, it had to restructure Burns' contract by converting more than $10 million into a signing bonus. Burns was acquired from the Carolina Panthers via trade prior to the 2024 season.
Abdul Carter must be an instant-impact player to be worth eventual financial headache
The Giants picked up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option for the 2026 season, meaning he'll contribute a nearly $10 million cap hit this year plus more than $14.75 million the following campaign.
Lawrence comes with an obligation worth more than $23.6 million this year and two more years totaling more than $53.3 million if the club chooses to retain his services.
Barring any devastating injuries, New York should boast a wrecking ball crew of a defensive line. Lawrence, Thibodeaux and Burns combined for 23 sacks in 2024. Carter logged 12 for the Nittany Lions and fans will certainly be expecting similar production in his rookie campaign with the G-Men.
Anything less and the disappointment will be the least of Schoen's worries (if he were to survive past this year anyways). New York could be heading toward salary cap hell and the only (temporary) remedy is immediate success.
While no trophy is in their immediate future, it could still be hard to keep the band together past 2026 in order to give the team a chance at developing into a potential competitor.