Dexter Lawrence’s recent departure from the team could have represented an extremely significant loss for the New York Giants. To address that, John Harbaugh’s team not only signed DJ Reader, but also finalized the arrival of Josh Tupou in recent hours, coming from the Baltimore Ravens, according to Art Stapleton.
The experienced nose tackle arrived in the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted player, with the Cincinnati Bengals becoming his first team as a professional. He spent six seasons there before joining the Raven Flock, and later had a stint with the Indianapolis Colts.
Tupou already knows Harbaugh and his physical work methodology firsthand. His most recent experience in the league came on the Ravens’ practice squad, and now he arrives in East Rutherford to strengthen the trenches for the G-Men.
Tupou joins an NFC contender
Since breaking into the NFL, Josh Tupou has carved out a solid role as a dependable interior presence and a key asset on special teams. Utilizing his imposing 6-foot-3, 350-pound frame, the Colorado product nose tackle excels at plugging up the middle, racking up 94 total tackles and 3.0 sacks throughout his career.
Josh Tupou #68 nose tackle.
While his dirty work in the trenches doesn’t always grab headlines, his knack for absorbing double-teams and shutting down rushing lanes makes him an incredibly valuable, selfless piece for any defensive front.
More options for Harbaugh at the position
John Harbaugh has assembled a deeply physical and highly versatile mix of options at nose tackle, perfectly tailored to anchor the interior of the defensive front line. Locking down the starting role is veteran powerhouse DJ Reader, a premier, elite space-eater whose rare knack for absorbing double-teams and shutting down rushing lanes serves as the ultimate anchor for the run defense.
Providing high-upside rotational depth behind him is Leki Fotu, an imposing 6-foot-5, 317-pound journeyman coming off a active 2025 campaign across Las Vegas and Houston where he continued to prove his reliability as a heavy interior presence. Adding massive, young talent to the rotation are rookies Bobby Jamison-Travis—a highly productive 328-pound Auburn standout who racked up a career-high 36 tackles in 2025—and the towering 6-foot-5, 340-pound Anquin Barnes Jr. out of Colorado.
Together, this specialized rotation offers Harbaugh the perfect blend of seasoned block-shedders and explosive youthful size to consistently choke out opposing run games.
