Injury-Prone OT Russell Okung To Visit New York Giants

The New York Giants went on a defensive shopping spree on day one of free agency, but of course they couldn’t forget about their depleted offensive line. After releasing Geoff Schwartz and Will Beatty last month, on paper the right side of the line is being manned by backups.

Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will visit the Giants on Friday. Okung has been a fixture on the Seahawks offensive line for six years and a former Pro Bowler. He started 13 games last year and was the 26th ranked tackle in 2015 according to Pro Football Focus. He’s finished his contract, but Seattle is interested in keeping Okung for a reasonable price.

The price tag isn’t the only issue with Okung. He has missed 24 regular-season games since 2010 which may prevent the Seahawks from getting into a bidding war. The Giants will certainly check on Okung’s current health to gauge interest; he was pulled from the Seahawks’ NFC playoff loss with a dislocated shoulder.

Okung will also visit with the Detroit Lions, unless the Giants snatch him up on their visit. Jerry Reese has been adamant that he would not move Ereck Flowers from LT where he played his entire rookie season. Okung has the size to play right tackle and would likely flip if joining the Giants.

The Giants have a strong young core with Flowers, Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg protecting Eli Manning and signing Okung would shore up the problematic right side. Reese seems intent on rebuilding the Giants from the trenches and Okung fits that narrative. After spending $204.25 million on the defense, it’s time to spend a little money on the offensive line to protect their most-valued asset.