The New York Giants just got hit with some brutal injury news as OTAs get underway across the league. On Friday morning, news broke that Giants DT Roy Robertson-Harris suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during OTA practices (per ESPN), likely ending his 2026 season before it begins.
It’s a huge blow to a Giants defense that was really counting on Robertson-Harris to make a big impact. After trading All-Pro DT Dexter Lawrence II to the Bengals prior to the draft, Robertson-Harris became New York’s best and most reliable interior defender. Without Lawrence or Robertson-Harris, young guys will be thrust into larger roles, perhaps prematurely, and the Giants will be stuck without the depth they were hoping for.
A former undrafted free agent out of UTEP, Robertson-Harris spent the first four seasons of his career in Chicago and the next four in Jacksonville. He was traded to the Seahawks midway through the 2024 season and signed with the Giants in 2025. Last season, he had 35 tackles and a pass defensed in New York. For his career, he has 246 tackles, 19 sacks, and 15 passes defensed.
The New York Giants Must to Look Elsewhere at Defensive Tackle
GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 09: Roy Robertson-Harris #95 of the New York Giants reacts after making a tackle during the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on October 09, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Losing Robertson-Harris to a torn Achilles is a huge blow, the impact of which can’t be understated for the Giants. Lawrence was the star of this group, but he was demanding a larger contract than New York was willing to pay him and as a result, he was holding out and eventually requested a trade.
Rather than continuing to battle Lawrence for the desired contract, the Giants chose to trade him to Cincinnati for the No. 10 overall pick. With that selection, New York took Miami OT Francis Mauigoa, who will begin his professional career at right guard before sliding over to right tackle in the future.
It was a good move for the Giants, but it left them thin on the interior of their defensive line, and that was before Robertson-Harris went down. Now, second-year DT Darius Alexander will be relied upon heavily, as will free agent signee D.J. Reader. Those two players will be asked to anchor the middle of New York’s defensive front, along with Shelby Harris (another free agent pickup).
If Alexander takes a second-year leap and lives up to his potential, the Giants may not miss a beat. If he doesn’t, defensive tackle will be a problematic position for them all season long.
The Giants Have Lofty Expectations in 2026
The Giants have one of the largest fanbases in the NFL. Platforming them is always a good idea for networks’ bottom lines. Still, it’s notable that they are among the teams with the most primetime games in the 2026 season. After what QB Jaxson Dart flashed as a rookie last season and the hiring of new HC Jim Harbaugh, expectations are through the roof for a team that won just four games last season.
Can they meet those expectations and compete for a playoff berth? That remains to be seen, but the pieces are there. It’s up to the players — and this new coaching staff — to make it happen.
Giants Get Brutal Roy Robertson-Harris Injury News at Start of OTAs