The void left by the departure of defensive lineman Damon “Snacks” Harrison in 2018 was initially a big one, to say the least, but the New York Giants appear to have moved on just fine with Dalvin Tomlinson.

Big Blue traded Harrison to the Detroit Lions last season in exchange for a fifth-round pick just over two years after inking him to a massive five-year, $46.25 million contract. The deal opened up the nose tackle spot for Tomlinson, a second-year player, while rookie B.J. Hill also slid into a more natural role as the 3-technique.

The result? Tomlinson finished as the No. 2 interior defensive lineman in the NFC East, according to Pro Football Focus. As for the rookie, who added 5.5 sacks in 16 games (12 starts), PFF notes that Hill finished third among his division rivals with 22 Run Stops. Tomlinson finished with 26, the top mark in the division:

Dalvin Tomlinson led all in NFC East DIs in Run Stops in 2018 w/ 26 Rookie BJ Hill took 3rd with 22 #GiantsPride https://t.co/HmtNWuJPL1 — PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) February 14, 2019

While volume was no doubt a contributing factor in the numbers — the G-Men finished tied for the seventh-most rushing attempts against — both Tomlinson and Hill saw their play improve during the season, giving the Giants some youth and promise along the defensive front.

More importantly, Tomlinson and Hill allow the Giants to shift their resources to filling a dire need this offseason: the pass rush.

Not only does Giants general manager Dave Gettleman reap the benefits of the money saved by dealing Harrison, but the trade with the Lions also added another draft pick to the team’s stable of picks leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft.

New York has the flexibility to make things happen this offseason, now it’s up to Gettleman to push the right buttons.