Sam Roberts is one of several veteran defensive linemen who joined the Giants this offseason. He has yet to participate in practice for his newest team, but that should change shortly.
Roberts – who was limited to just five games in 2025 – underwent offseason surgery, Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes. The fifth-year veteran missed OTAs and minicamp this spring as a result. New head coach John Harbaugh expects Roberts to be healthy in time for training camp this summer, though.
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New York traded away Dexter Lawrence this offseason, ending his Pro Bowl tenure with the team. How the Giants fare along the defensive interior in 2026 and beyond will be a significant storyline this year as a result. Fellow veterans D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris are in the fold, and an uptick in playing time for 2025 third-rounder Darius Alexander would come as no surprise. Roberts (who took a one-year deal featuring no guaranteed money) is among the contenders for a depth role.
Another is Leki Fotu. Per Duggan, the former Cardinal, Jet, Raider and Texan took starting reps this spring while Harris was absent from OTAs. That suggests Fotu – who has 66 appearances and 26 starts to his name – will enter training camp relatively high on the depth chart with respect to experienced D-linemen. Fotu also inked a one-year deal this spring, and his pact contains only $25K in guarantees.
As a result, neither he nor Roberts are assured of a roster spot. Training camp and the preseason will be critical at a number of spots with a new coaching staff in place, but the defensive interior in particular will be worth watching closely. Roberts will look to avoid any further injury issues through the summer, while Fotu’s spot in the pecking order will be interesting to monitor.
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