The New York Giants have been connected to an intriguing veteran pass rusher.
The New York Giants definitely need to shore up the interior of their defensive line this offseason, which is why I have been pounding the table for Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Peter Woods in the NFL Draft.
But could the Giants actually find their answer in free agency?
New York does not have a ton of cap room heading into the spring, so it probably won't be able to make any truly significant moves.
However, Bleacher Report's Adam Well has linked Big Blue to a rather intriguing free-agent addition: Sheldon Rankins.
"A lower-cost option who isn't as impactful as Franklin-Myers but would help solve the issues against the run is Sheldon Rankins," Wells wrote. "He has been a consistently solid starting interior defender, with the exception of the 2024 season when illnesses impacted his performance with the Cincinnati Bengals."
Rankins has spent the 2025 campaign with the Houston Texans, having registered 35 tackles, three tackles and a fumble recovery touchdown while playing in every game. He also posted a 70.5 run defense grade at Pro Football Focus.
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images.The problem with Rankins is that he has been inconsistent in defending the run throughout his NFL career, and at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds, he is not the massive space eater that the Giants really need next to Dexter Lawrence.
Of course, on a cheap contract, Rankins would be worth a shot. At the very least, he would improve New York's interior pass rush, an area in which he has always excelled.
The 31-year-old has accumulated 33.5 sacks since entering the league with the New Orleans Saints in 2021, topping out at eight sacks in 2018. He also managed six sacks as recently as 2023 during his first of two stints with the Texans.
Rankins signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with Houston last offseason. Assuming he comes that cheap again this time around (and he very well may), he would definitely comprise a compelling pickup for the G-Men.
Of course, it would still behoove the Giants to land a bigger, stouter defensive tackle in the draft, like Woods or perhaps Florida Gators star Caleb Banks.
We'll see what New York decides to do in the coming months.