New York Giants defensive line coach Dennis Johnson faces a significant rebuilding task after key players were moved prior to the upcoming season. Johnson, who was hired in late January, had planned to work with a defensive line anchored by Dexter Lawrence. However, those plans were altered when Lawrence was traded to the Bengals on April 20.
Upon his hiring, Johnson reached out to the players he expected to coach, including Lawrence. He introduced himself and expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Giants. "I kept texting him… hit up everyone in the whole group, introducing myself, letting people know who I am, where I’m coming from, that I’m happy to be a part of the Giants," Johnson told The Post in the spring. "Everybody, even him, was very kind and welcoming when I first got here. Then things changed and you got to adjust."
The departure of Lawrence represents a substantial shift for the team's defensive strategy and Johnson's initial coaching objectives.