New York Giants Improved Most on This Unit, Says ESPN

The New York Giants personnel on this unit improved significantly during the off-season.

An NFL team can’t address all of its needs in one off-season, but as far as the New York Giants are concerned, they did improve in one very important area, according to ESPN.

That area is the pass rush, where the Giants acquired outside linebacker Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers via trade to pair him with third-year player Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Burns, acquired for a second-round pick this year and a fifth-rounder next year, has never recorded fewer than 7.5 sacks in his five NFL seasons, his rookie campaign being the one in which he recorded 7.5 sacks.

The hope is that when paired with Thibodeaux, who last year recorded 11.5 sacks, the Giants’ defensive front seven will have more than enough firepower to disrupt opposing quarterbacks while leaving the defense’s back end free to engage in coverage.

According to ESPN’s pass-rush win-rate stats, Burns ranked 11th among outside linebackers last year, notching a 21 percent PRWR despite facing double-teams on 14 percent of his pass-r

ushing attempts.