Because of the injuries that have limited him in each of the past two seasons, New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari has become somewhat of an afterthought.
The primary focus has been on the newly acquired Brian Burns, the talented but still-developing Kayvon Thibodeaux, and the dominance of Dexter Lawrence inside. But perhaps Ojulari warrants some focus once again.
Under defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, the Giants will rely heavily on their front four to generate organic pressure. Burns, Thibodeaux, and Lawrence will man three of those roles with the need for someone else to step up.
Ryder Anderson and Boogie Basham are names that have been thrown around but after playing alongside him for a few months, Burns has come away impressed with Ojulari specifically.
“He’s a great pass rusher. He’s very natural. He has natural ability. It comes very, very natural to him,” Burns told reporters on Sunday. “I think he’s very gifted. Just his build alone, he has extremely long arms and natural leverage, so that makes him a premium pass rusher as far as his build. He’s been doing great so far. I expect big things from him this year.”
When healthy, Ojulari has produced. He set the Giants’ all-time rookie sack record with 8.0 in 2021 and was widely considered a second-round steal. Even during his injury-plagued sophomore season, Ojulari recorded 5.5 sacks in just seven games (230 snaps).
Last season, that production dipped to 2.5 sacks in 11 games but Ojulari’s presence was still a noticeable benefit to Thibodeau.
With the addition of Burns, Ojulari is likely to play more of a rotational role in 2024. With fewer snaps and demands on his body, it’s something that may keep the 24-year-old both healthy and productive. And if the Giants can get the 2019 version of Ojulari back, they’ll certainly be in business defensively.
