Giants add to defensive line with first reported signing

The New York Giants reportedly scored their first signing of 2023 NFL free agency, agreeing to terms with veteran defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Tom Pelissero was first with the news.

Art Stapleton is reporting that Nunez-Roches will get a three-year deal. NFL insider says the deal is worth $12 million over three years with $7.5 million guaranteed.

Nunez-Roches is a 6-foot-2, 307-pound defensive tackle who will be 30 years old during the 2023 season. Nunez-Roches played in 17 games with 10 starts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. He had a career-high 2.0 sacks, 33 tackles (19 solo), five tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.

Nunez-Roches was a sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016. He played three seasons in Kansas City and the last five in Tampa Bay.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen had made no secret of his desire to add depth to the defensive line behind Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams. Players like Justin Ellis and Henry Mondeaux were getting snaps last season, and the Giants wanted to upgrade.

Schoen had said at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine that the team’s depth on the defensive line was “not great.”

“That’s a premium position,” Schoen said. “Again, talk about allocating resources to a position. That’s important. We gotta be better next year stopping the run.”

Nunez-Roches is a good start.