Brian Burns has seen a lot of football. He has never come across anything like the combination of Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese.
"Man, they look like – I don't know," the stumped three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker said after Day 1 of minicamp. "I've never seen a linebacker duo like that, just off first glance."
That's why Burns is happy to wear the white practice uniform of the defense, not the blue of the offense – or even worse, the red of the quarterbacks.
"[Arvell] and Tremaine look scary as hell," Burns said. "If I was [Jaxson] Dart, yeah, I'd be nervous."
Dart has been seeing double vision across the line of scrimmage, where he stares at not one, but two 6-foot-4, 240-pound inside linebackers attached at the hip. Neither was in East Rutherford a year ago.
Edmunds, a two-time Pro Bowler who has amassed 100+ tackles in all eight NFL seasons, came over as a coveted free agent from Chicago. Reese, an All-American out of Ohio State, was selected fifth overall after the Giants had him rated as the top non-quarterback on their draft board.
Throughout a dozen spring practices, it doesn't take a defensive genius to see their impact.
"It's still early for both of us," Edmunds said. "He just got here a couple weeks ago. I just got here. A lot of it is just learning the playbook. I'm not going to lie. So, a lot of it is just us learning it, and then as we learn it, we can start playing off one another. That's what football is. It's both of our first time in the system. Like I said, it's not like I've been with him for a year, but at the same time we're still picking up off one another. So, if something comes up, like he's a fast learner; I'm a fast learner. We get it right, so we won't mess up again."
Edmunds added, "He's extremely hard-working. I'm going to take my hat off to him for that. You can tell he comes from a good system as far as what he was doing in college, so he picks up on information fast."
View the top photos from 2026 Giants Minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
Lawrence Taylor, Head Coach John Harbaugh
quarterback Jaxson Dart (6), running back Cam Skattebo (44)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Malachi Fields (0)
head coach John Harbaugh
wide receiver Darnell Mooney (17)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa (65)
WR Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
defensive end Chauncey Golston (57)
offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78)
WR JuJU Smith-Schuster (8)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29), RB Devin Singletary (26)
S Jevón Holland (8)
Lawrence Taylor
S Tyler Nubin (27)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
Lawrence Taylor
S Jason Pinnock (25)
WR Braxton Berrios (87)
S Jason Pinnock (25)
Lawrence Taylor
S Jevón Holland (8)
G Aaron Stinnie (64)
Harry Carson
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (8)
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
S Jevón Holland (8)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
S Jevón Holland (8)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (8)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
Lawrence Taylor, QB Jameis Winston (19)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor, Head Coach John Harbaugh, Harry Carson
cornerback Paulson Adebo (21),
running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
New York Giants 2025-2026 place kicker Dominic Svada (34)
Harry Carson
JuJu Smith-Schuster (8)
safety Jevon Holland (8)
linebacker Brian Burns (0)
Lawrence Taylor
Calvin Austin III (82)
wide receiver Darnell Mooney (17)
New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
Leki Fotu (90)
linebacker Arvelll Reese (52)
Leki Fotu (90)
cornerback Korie Black (38)
Bretón Barrios (87)
place kicker Dominic Svada (34)
Matt Nagy
Lawrence Taylor
quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
Odell Beckham Jr. (3), cornerback Paulson Adebo (21)
wide receiver Malachi Fields (0)
New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
offensive tackle Evan Neal (73)
offensive tackle Ryan Schernecke (70)
place kicker Dominic Svada (34)
cornerback Korie Black (38)
safety Tyler Nubin (27)
head coach John Harbaugh, linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Line of scrimmage
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
Lawrence Taylor
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
Andrew Thomas
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
head coach John Harbaugh, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson
LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Braxton Berrios (87)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Calvin Austin III (82)
WR Braxton Berrios (87)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Braxton Berrios (87)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Calvin Austin III (82)
S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Calvin Austin III (82)
CB Paulson Adebo (21)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
WR Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
WR Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
S Jevón Holland (8)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
LB Caleb Murphy (33)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
offensive lineman J.C. Davis (74)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
RB Dante Miller (25)
WR Ryan Miller (9)
offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa (65)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
S Jevón Holland (8)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
offensive tackle Marcus Mbow (71)
RB Eric Gray (20)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
WR JuJU Smith-Schuster (8)
offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
head coach John Harbaugh
wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins (89)
quarterback Jameis Winston (19), running back Devin Singletary (26)
Defensve backs
linebacker Brian Burns (0)
defensive tackle Darius Alexander (91)
New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Jason Pinnock (25)
center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
Matt Nagy, quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
offensive tackle Evan Neal (73)
quarterback Jameis Winston (19)
Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
offensive tackle Ryan Schernecke (70)
punter Jordan Stout (15)
Bryan Hudson (60)
LB Caleb Murphy (33)
safety Tyler Nubin (27)
Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
Odell Beckham Jr. (3)
wide receiver Darnell Mooney (17)
Daniel Faalele (77)
linebacker Brian Burns (0)
Tremaine Edmunds (49)
offensive tackle Evan Neal (73)
linebacker Brian Burns (0)
punter Jordan Stout (15)
running back Eric Gray (20)
cornerback Nic Jones (31)
cornerback Nic Jones (31)
quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
Jarrod Gray (79)
head coach John Harbaugh
guard Joshua Ezeudu (75)
Mike Bloomgren
LB Caleb Murphy (33)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Edmunds said it's all about building trust with the rookie, who made that his first priority.
"I want to show the team right away that I'm one of those guys that would rather be seen and not heard," Reese said a month ago at rookie minicamp. "Especially as a rookie, that's what you've got to do. You've got to know what you're doing on the field before you say what you're about. Just get on the field, minimize mistakes, and just show I'm one of those guys that can get better every day."
The veterans, including Burns and Edmunds, took notice of those words.
"Hundred percent, hundred percent," said Edmunds, who is the youngest player in NFL history to reach 100 career games played. "I say it all the time, that's really the only way – that's how I was. I was 20 when I came into the league. So, I know I handled it as well. So, I know he's going to be good. If he's thinking like that, he's going to be good, because one thing about the league will humble you regardless and being that he's already coming in humble like that, I mean, the sky's going to be the limit for him.
"He's a guy that just wants to learn at the end of the day. No matter how high he got drafted, I can see like he cares about ball and he really loves ball. So, he's going to be good. And I'm going to help him. It's not like he's by himself, not just me but we got 10 other guys out there with him. We're all out there working together so (it's) no need to feel like you're by yourself. We're working together to get this job accomplished."
From an offensive perspective, tight end Isaiah Likely usually relishes a matchup with an inside linebacker. But not these ones.
"I mean, you guys see," Likely said. "They're probably 6-5 apiece. They both run probably 4.5. Arvell runs 4.4. And they take up a big part of the middle field. So, knowing their strength and their genetics, they know it as football players and then really just battling every day. And I told Arvell probably like a week or two ago, watching his college tape, a lot of the plays that he was making was quote, unquote off the line of scrimmage. So seeing how well he drops into coverage, how well he's been in space and how instinctual he is in zone coverages, that was really something I raised my eyebrows to because that's something that wasn't really highlighted, I would say, before he got here, and I would tell him just keep playing ball the way he's playing."
It was only fitting that the linebacker corps dominated the topic of conversation at Monday's media session. Moments earlier and just a few feet away, Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson spoke to the entire team after Day 1 of minicamp.
"I think the biggest thing is just understanding the culture," Edmunds said of their message. "Those guys have played football at a high level, Hall of Fame guys and just being able to get the knowledge that they experienced when they were here and just really pretty much telling us what it means to be a Giant, what it means to play for the City of New York, what it means to be in that stadium, getting that energy from the fans and producing at a high level, not really putting expectations on [us], but letting them know, like, yeah, we're watching you all, they're supporting 100 percent. It's the world to get those guys here. Anytime we can get knowledge from them, put that in our belt, add it to our arsenal, it's always good, so appreciate them guys for coming for sure."
See who led the Giants in sacks each season since it became an official statistic in 1982.
1982 Lawrence Taylor - 7.5 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1984 Lawrence Taylor - 11.5 sacks
1985 Leonard Marshall - 15.5 sacks
1986 Lawrence Taylor - 20.5 sacks
1987 Lawrence Taylor - 12 sacks
1988 Lawrence Taylor - 15.5 sacks
1989 Lawrence Taylor - 15 sacks
1990 Lawrence Taylor - 10.5 sacks
1991 Leonard Marshall - 11 sacks
1992 Lawrence Taylor - 5 sacks
1993 Keith Hamilton - 11.5 sacks
1994 (tied) Erik Howard/Keith Hamilton - 6.5 sacks
1995 Michael Strahan - 7.5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1997 Michael Strahan - 14 sacks
1998 Michael Strahan - 15 sacks
1999 Jessie Armstead - 9 sacks
2000 Keith Hamilton - 10 sacks
2001 Michael Strahan - 22.5 sacks
2002 Michael Strahan - 11 sacks
2003 Michael Strahan - 18.5 sacks
2004 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2005 Osi Umenyiora - 14.5 sacks
2006 Osi Umenyiora - 6 sacks
2007 Osi Umenyiora - 13 sacks
2008 Justin Tuck - 12 sacks
2009 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2010 (tied) Justin Tuck/Osi Umenyiora - 11.5 sacks
2011 Jason Pierre-Paul - 16.5 sacks
2012 Jason Pierre-Paul - 6.5 sacks
2013 Justin Tuck - 11 sacks
2014 Jason Pierre-Paul - 12.5 sacks
2015 Robert Ayers Jr. - 9.5 sacks
2016 Olivier Vernon - 8.5 sacks
2017 Jason Pierre-Paul - 8.5 sacks
2018 Olivier Vernon - 7 sacks
2019 Markus Golden - 10 sacks
2020 Leonard Williams- 11.5 sacks
2021 Azeez Ojulari - 8 sacks
2022 Dexter Lawrence - 7.5 sacks
2023 Kayvon Thibodeaux - 11.5 sacks
2024 Dexter Lawrence - 9 sacks
2025 Brian Burns - 16.5 sacks
