2 New York Giants on PFF list of top 50 players of 2024

A pair of New York Giants linemen, one on each side of the ball, have been named to the Pro Football Focus list of the top 50 players entering the 2024 NFL season. Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence is No. 11, and offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is No. 29.

Here is what PFF said about each player.

Lawrence:

Dexter Lawrence is rewriting what was thought to be possible at the nose tackle position. Over the past two seasons, his resume includes 81 quarterback pressures when lining up either head-up over the center or shaded to either side of the center. The next-closest player has 16. Lawrence disrupts the game from a true nose-tackle alignment better than any player PFF has seen over the past 18 seasons. He is a truly unique athlete who is only getting better.

There has been some debate about who the best defensive lineman in football is now that Aaron Donald has retired. The only lineman PFF has above Lawrence is Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is No. 6 overall.

Thomas:

The loss of Andrew Thomas to injury last season was a devastating blow to an already weak offensive line. Thomas ended up playing just 576 snaps, a little more than half of his 2022 total. He has elite pass-blocking chops and had brought his run blocking to a similar level in 2022 before injuries derailed him in 2023. If Thomas bounces back and enjoys a healthy season, while having some better players alongside him on the Giants’ line, he is well worthy of this ranking.

PFF is on the money in terms of Thomas’s importance to the Giants.

There are only four linemen ranked above Thomas by PFF. They are:

Trent Williams, 49ers (No. 3); Lane Johnson, Eagles (No. 21); Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneeers (No. 22); Penei Sewell, Lions (No. 28).