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The New York Giants and John Harbaugh have found their Dexter Lawrence replacement, according to an ESPN report.

John Harbaugh is putting his stamp on this New York Giants squad, and that includes taking care of any fallout following the team’s Dexter Lawrence trade.

The team traded Lawrence to the Bengals in a deal that included the 10th overall pick going to New York, and while it helped beef up their rookie lineup, it also hurt to lose their three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. Lawrence was a dependable force on defense, so that’s a gap that needs to be filled.

Now, Harbaugh and the Giants are filling that roster hole. According to a report from Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the team is expected to sign veteran defensive tackle Shelby Harris to a one-year deal.

New York Giants and John Harbaugh Sign Shelby Harris: Report

This move makes sense, because the team didn’t add a defensive lineman until the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft with Bobby Jamison-Travis. Harris had met with the Giants in the past few weeks, so it’s not a surprise that they had their eyes on him. Even with this addition, the team could use another veteran for that line.

Harbaugh has made it pretty clear early that this isn’t going to be a soft middle anymore. The run defense is the first thing on the table and the first thing under the microscope, so he’s adding to it. It’s less about splashy names and more about attitude.

Harbaugh has always leaned into physicality, and now he’s trying to stamp that identity onto a unit that’s been too easy to move at times. The message is simple: if you can run on them, you can stay on the field. That’s got to change.

Harris is heading into his 12th season in the NFL. He clocked 32 tackles and one sack in 17 games last season with the Cleveland Browns, according to NBC Sports research.

New York Giants’ Look After the 2026 NFL Draft: How Did They Do?

So, what’s the New York Giants’ look after the 2026 NFL draft? It’s good, but Eric Edholm of the NFL’s official website is not impressed. He’s released his latest round of 2026 NFL power rankings, and in it, he puts the Giants at No. 26.

“Yes, the Arvell Reese pick was the showstopper, and the Colton Hood selection earned some worthy buzz in Round 2,” he notes in the piece. “But the remainder of the picks were focused on size and physicality – and that’s not to suggest Reese and Hood don’t play with an edge, because they do.”

He adds that it feels like a “promising start to the John Harbaugh era, piggybacking off a relatively strong rest of the offseason” but that he thinks the team has a “big need in the defensive interior after trading Dexter Lawrence, but there might be some workable (cheaper) veteran options to consider.”

Well, that last line is exactly what is happening with the move to get Harris. So, this signing shows that Harbaugh and the New York Giants are actually right where they belong in the rebuilding process.