WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — The Giants subtracted one of the NFL’s best nose tackles from a near-historically bad rushing defense – and expect to improve.

It sounds counterintuitive, but the Giants redid their up-the-middle defense both before and after meeting Dexter Lawrence’s trade demand. The rebuild started with signing premier free-agent linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, continued with drafting linebacker Arvell Reese and was strengthened with late free-agent signings D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris.

And Reader is under no false pretense that his primary responsibility is anything other than making sure the Giants don’t repeat a league-worst 5.31 yards per carry allowed. Only the 2022 Chargers allowed more since 2014.

“That’s the most important part of the game,” Reader said. “That’s one of those things I take pride in as a nose guard. It’s part of the game that everybody can get involved in. It’s going to take everybody’s effort to build that wall, force things back inside to your bigger guys, let things roll up top to your corners who can tackle. If you’re bought in, you can stop the run.”

Reader was the only NFL player double-teamed more frequently last season (71.7 percent of his snaps) than Lawrence. He just won’t offer the same pass-rush threat that Lawrence once did – before registering just a 0.5 sack over his final 22 games with the Giants.

So far in training camp, the defensive line has answered Reader’s call to penetrate the backfield on early downs and “steal possessions” for the offense. 

“When you’ve got edges like how we have edges, I think you want to be able to stop the run,” Reader said. “That way those guys can truly go get after the passer. Let the multitude of guys you have that can rush get after the quarterback, drop in coverage, play good pass defense.”

The Giants also are using edge Kayvon Thibodeaux – a second-stringer to Abdul Carter and Brian Burns – as an interior defender in packages meant to get more speed onto the field.

Darius Alexander, a 2025 third-round pick coming off a disappointing rookie season, has made plays as the starter next to Reader during camp.

But Harris ranked No. 27 and Reader ranked No. 35 among 130 interior run defenders last season, according to Pro Football Focus. They have 283 games of combined NFL experience.

“The OG’s, they definitely, they get out up front,” Thibodeaux said. “They know what they need to do and why they were brought here.”

Dennard Wilson is the second straight Giants defensive coordinator hired after leaving the Titans. Shane Bowen’s schemes could not repeat the same rushing defense success without Titans great Jeffery Simmons in the middle.

The Giants are looking for the sum of new parts to be great.

“The key is to make sure, first of all, that we all know our assignment,” Edmunds said. “Now you put yourself in position to make a play. When the play presents itself, go make it. You’re not necessarily stressing, trying to get yourself out of position, but making sure you know what you’re doing.”