The New York Giants have struggled mightily to stop the run over the past few years, and it’s partially because they don’t have the proper personnel in the trenches. If they want to upgrade the unit substantially alongside star interior lineman Dexter Lawrence, they could look at the free agent market for a possible solution. One player that makes a ton of sense is John Franklin-Myers, now 29 years old and coming off a very underrated season with the Denver Broncos.
Franklin-Myers has spent the last two years with Denver, playing 569 snaps in both seasons. He collected 39 pressures with 18 stops in the run game this past season, per Sports Illustrated, but also committed seven penalties. Despite his weaknesses, Franklin-Myers is far better than anything the Giants currently have on the roster, even after spending a third-round pick on Darius Alexander out of Toledo last offseason.
The Giants like the upside that Alexander provides, but he’s still quite raw and still trying to develop his game from a run-stopping perspective. The problem with Franklin-Myers is that he misses a lot of tackles, collecting a 23.8% missed tackle rate last season, which is concerning. His increased penalties, high missed tackle rate, and infrequent usage all pose some questions, but he’s a tremendous pass rusher from the interior, and adding him to a line that already has Lawrence would be exciting.
The Contract Makes Financial Sense
PFF projects a three-year deal worth $15 million per season for the veteran defender, including about $22.5 million guaranteed and a $45 million total contract. That would present half as guaranteed, allowing the Giants to structure the deal as a two-year contract with an out after the second season. That’s not a bad move and will allow them to push the majority of the cap hit to 2027 and 2028 when the Giants have far more money at their disposal. Nonetheless, this would be a good move for Big Blue to shore up the interior of its defensive line, but it would be a costly one.
Elite Pass Rush Production
From a talent evaluation perspective, Franklin-Myers’ pass rush numbers are exactly what Dennard Wilson’s aggressive scheme demands. His 68 PFF pass rush grade ranked 37th among 134 interior defensive linemen in 2025, while his eight sacks tied for fifth at the position. More importantly, his 39 pressures ranked 18th among all interior linemen, proving he can consistently collapse the pocket.
“He has now reached the 40-pressure threshold in five straight years, becoming one of just four players to accomplish that,” PFF’s Bradley Locker wrote when naming Franklin-Myers the Broncos’ “Secret Superstar” of the season. That consistency is rare at the interior defensive line position and demonstrates the kind of reliability the Giants desperately need.
His pass rush win rate of 17.8% led the entire Broncos team in 2025, which is particularly impressive considering Denver’s defense ranked first in the NFL with 68 sacks. When you’re posting the highest pass rush win rate on the league’s most productive pass-rushing unit, you’re doing something right.
Scheme Fit in Wilson’s Nickel-Heavy Defense
Dennard Wilson’s defensive scheme prioritizes the nickel formation, deploying five defensive backs on the majority of snaps. “Because he prioritizes the nickel formation, a sizable burden is on the defensive line to stop the run,” per Empire Sports Media’s analysis of Wilson’s scheme. This is exactly where Franklin-Myers becomes essential.
With fewer linebackers on the field, the defensive line must handle both pass rush responsibilities and run defense without help. Franklin-Myers’ 65.4 run defense grade (25th among interior linemen) proves he can handle both assignments adequately, even if he’s not elite against the run. His 18 run stops in 2025 demonstrate sufficient production to justify his role in a nickel-heavy scheme.
Wilson’s philosophy emphasizes aggressive press coverage and calculated blitzing. “From Day 1, it’s you press everything, period,” Wilson has said. “We’re going to blitz, but when we blitz, it’s going to be at the right times.” The Titans blitzed just 20.5% of the time in 2025 (23rd in the NFL), meaning Wilson relies heavily on his front four to generate pressure without help.
Franklin-Myers’ ability to win one-on-one matchups (17.8% pass rush win rate) makes him ideal for this approach. When Wilson does call blitzes, having a defensive lineman who can occupy multiple blockers allows those extra rushers to reach the quarterback unimpeded. His presence alongside Dexter Lawrence would create nightmares for opposing offensive lines trying to decide which elite interior rusher to double-team.
The Lawrence Connection
Pairing Franklin-Myers with Dexter Lawrence creates a fascinating dynamic. Lawrence demands constant double teams, which would free Franklin-Myers for favorable one-on-one matchups. In Denver, Franklin-Myers played alongside Zach Allen (83 pressures, 12 sacks) and D.J. Jones, creating one of the league’s most formidable interior rotations. Replicating that production alongside Lawrence, who consistently ranks among the NFL’s elite interior linemen, would transform the Giants’ defensive line.
The concern about Franklin-Myers’ 23.8% missed tackle rate is legitimate, but it’s worth noting that aggressive pass rushers often sacrifice sure tackling for penetration. In Wilson’s scheme, which uses zone coverage 75% of the time (12th-highest in the NFL), defensive linemen are often asked to shoot gaps rather than set edges, which can lead to missed tackles but also creates disruption in the backfield.
Better Than Current Options
The Giants’ current interior defensive line depth beyond Lawrence is concerning. Darius Alexander showed flashes as a rookie but appeared in limited snaps and remains a developmental project. Franklin-Myers would provide immediate production while Alexander continues learning. The seven penalties are a concern, but Wilson’s disciplined approach and emphasis on situational awareness could help curb that issue.
At $15 million per year with an out after two seasons, the Giants can afford to take this calculated risk. If Franklin-Myers delivers even 75% of his 2025 production (30+ pressures, 6 sacks), he’d represent excellent value. If he struggles, the team can move on in 2028 without crippling long-term cap implications. For a Giants team desperate to fix their run defense while maintaining interior pass rush, Franklin-Myers represents the kind of high-floor, moderate-ceiling signing that could push this defense from mediocre to playoff-caliber.
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