Giants.com is counting down the start of training camp with 20 questions in 20 days.

15) What will the new defense look like?

John Schmeelk: Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has a unique background when it comes to his coaching tree and pedigree. He coached under Gregg Williams at three different stops, under Jonathan Gannon in Philadelphia, and under Mike Macdonald in Baltimore. At its core, the defense is a Dean Pees-style system that was run in Baltimore when Pees served as the defensive coordinator there from 2011-17. I would also expect aspects of all those coaching influences to be present in what Wilson puts on the field for the Giants.

I recommend everyone go listen to my assistant coach interviews on the Giants Huddle Podcast, and you will get a bit more detail about what this will look like from all levels of the defense. I'll try to summarize it as succinctly as possible.

Up front, the philosophy to stop the run will be to build a wall up front. Defensive linemen will be less concerned with creating penetration versus the run, which can lead to gaps, but instead will try to remain at the same level and build a wall at the line of scrimmage. The result should be running backs having little room to maneuver with all the gaps occupied, and clear assignments for linebackers and defensive backs to fill whatever space remains from the second and third level of the defenses.

In the secondary, I expect the outside cornerbacks to be close to the line of scrimmage, which will allow them to press and be physical with wide receivers to prevent easy catches off the line. There will also be a lot of disguising. Players will line up in one place pre-snap and then quickly relocate post-snap to fulfill their assignments and sow confusion for the opposing quarterback.

The goal is for the pre-snap looks, often two-high shell looks, to all look the same, while the final coverage is different. Quarters was his primary base coverage as defensive coordinator in Tennessee, but it is a flexible zone that can often look like man or quickly turn into other two-high or even single-high looks. The goal is to make quarterbacks hold the ball for an extra tick or two to allow the pass rush to get home.

I do expect an increase in the number of pressures and a lot of creative blitzes up front given the variety and volume of potential Giants pass rushers. Players will line up in different spots and there can be a lot of movement up front with a variety of twists and stunts. He coached under Gregg Williams a long time, and there's no doubt he picked up how a defensive coordinator can dictate to the offense how the game is going to be played.

The final thing to note is that players have indicated in my interviews on the Giants Huddle Podcast that their input is being sought and taken into consideration as the defense is put together. Wilson is going to build this defense based on what his players are good at and comfortable doing. I'm looking forward to seeing the defense come together into what should be an exciting final product in 2026.

Previous Questions

20) What was the biggest story of the offseason?

19) Who are the veteran additions to know?

18) Who are the rookies to know this season?

17) How tough is the Giants' schedule this season?

16) What will the new offense look like?