Giants eyeing 70.5-sack Pro Bowler to replace star pass-rusher Brian Burns

Injuries have put a serious damper on the New York Giants’ season.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart and star edge-rusher Brian Burns have both been lost to season-ending injuries, forcing the Giants to try and get creative in replacing both players.

New York traded for former top-10 pick J.J. McCarthy to compete with Jameis Winston in Dart’s absence, and now the team may be on the verge of adding an impact pass-rusher to help fill the void Burns left on the defensive line, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

“Sources: The #Giants will host former Pro Bowl DE Yannick Ngakoue for a workout on Monday,” Schultz posted on X. “Ngakoue, who has [70.5] career sacks, sat out last season to recover and is now fully healthy and ready to return to the NFL.”

The 31-year-old Ngakoue hasn’t played since 2024. He sat out last season to heal from several injuries, including a pedal ankle ailment that affected him during the 2023 season.

Ngakoue, a Pro Bowler who led the NFL in forced fumbles (six) in 2017, was once one of the more feared pass-rushers in the NFL.

During his 10-year NFL career, he’s totaled 439 pressures, 274 hurries, 237 tackles, 148 QB hits, 72 tackles for loss, 70.5 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Ngakoue has also had eight or more sacks seven times, including a career-high 12 during his lone Pro Bowl season.

Adding a player of Ngakoue’s caliber would be a big boost for a Giants pass-rush that’s reeling after losing Burns.

Abdul Carter leads the team in all major pass-rushing categories (16 pressures, 10 hurries, four QB hits, one sack). But beyond him, Kayvon Thibodeaux (seven pressures, six hurries, one QB hit) and Arvell Reese (five pressures, five hurries) both have struggled to get to the quarterback through the first five games.