New York Giants lose Roy Robertson-Harris to season-ending Achilles tear
New York Giants defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris is expected to miss the entire 2026 season after tearing his Achilles during an indoor practice session on Thursday.
The 32-year-old suffered the devastating injury while taking first-team repetitions at the team’s organised team activity (OTA) workout in East Rutherford.
He was forced to pull up and reach for the back of his right leg early in the session, which had been moved indoors due to rain.
A major blow to a rebuilding defensive line
The loss of the veteran creates a significant void in the interior of the New York defence.
The franchise was already heavily reshaping its front line after trading star tackle Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals last month.
Entering his 10th professional campaign, the undrafted UTEP prospect had been expected to anchor the unit as a prominent starter.
He was entering the second and final season of a two-year contract worth $9.25m (£7.3m).
Giants bank on newly acquired reinforcements
Last season, the former Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars standout started 17 games, recording 35 tackles and six quarterback hits.
In an effort to mitigate recent departures, the Giants signed seasoned veterans DJ Reader, Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu following the NFL Draft.
They are also placing heavy expectations on second-year lineman Darius Alexander and recent sixth-round pick Bobby Jamison-Travis.
Speaking earlier this month about the reshaped defensive line, coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence in their recruitment strategy.
“I felt like it was part of our process,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not that we wouldn’t have drafted a defensive tackle or signed one sooner if they had become available.”
“But as it went, I thought we did a good job of kind of responding to the situation as it unfolded, and now we feel really good about our group in there.”
“It looks good to me. I’m excited about it.”
The seasoned defender now faces a gruelling rehabilitation process, pausing a career that has yielded 246 tackles and 19 sacks across 134 appearances.