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The New York Giants’ interior defensive line is not good, according to the NFL establishment, which means they could have a hard time defending the Dallas Cowboys again this year.
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The Cowboys posted two interior linemen on the ESPN-compiled list of the NFL’s top-10 as judged by more than 70 executives, scouts and coaches.
Superstar left guard Tyler Smith landed No. 1 on the list, and his right-side tandem Tyler Booker was mentioned on the honorable mention.
No Giants appeared on the list of best interior offensive linemen, and their interior D-line was ranked as their biggest weakness entering 2026 after the Dexter Lawrence trade.
Both Cowboys Starting Guards Ranked on ESPN List of Best Interior Linemen
The Cowboys were 7-9-1 last season, and the Giants split their meetings — nearly defeating the Cowboys in Week 2 before falling 40-37 in overtime.
But the Giants D-line struggled against Smith, Booker and the dominant Dallas O-line. The Cowboys averaged 139 rushing yards per game in their two meetings against the Giants.
Keyed by Booker and Smith, the latter of which who moved from tackle to guard, running back Javonte Williams posted his first career 1,000-plus yard season and put up 1,201 yards on the ground.
“Smith is the league’s highest-paid guard and for good reason,” Fowler wrote. “The 2022 first-round pick has worked his way from offensive tackle prospect to elite guard with three consecutive Pro Bowls.
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“His win rates of 72.1% in the running game and 95.2% in the passing game are quality but not elite numbers. But to watch him is to value him.”
Giants Guards Face big Year Ahead
We’ve already covered why 2026 stands as a huge year for center John-Michael Schmitz, but guards Jon Runyan and Francis Mauigoa could further help the Giants rushing attack, since it ranked fifth in the NFL in 2025.
Mauigoa has his work cut out for him, since starting at O-line in Year 1 is a big challenge, especially while moving from tackle to guard. But the No. 10 pick appears up to the challenge.
“Mauigoa is joining a long list of premier college tackles who have switched to guard after being first-round draft picks,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan wrote. “The adjustment seemed to go smoothly for Mauigoa in the spring, as he was installed as the starting right guard immediately.”
Runyan is in the final year of a three-year contract he signed during the 2024 offseason. He has been the weak link for the Giants O-line, since he had the 67th-best grade among 81 qualifying guards (52.9) by Pro-Football Focus, and Duggan reported he could be a potential cut candidate if he doesn’t play well.
“There are no signs that Runyan’s hold on the starting left guard job is in jeopardy, but his contract could make him vulnerable if he struggles during the preseason and the team needs salary cap space,” Duggan wrote. “Cutting (or trading) Runyan in the final year of his contract would create $9.25 million in cap savings while leaving $2.5 million in dead money.”
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This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 8:13 AM.