3. Sign Connor McGovern to play center
The Jon Halapio experiment is likely over following the close of the 2019 NFL season. There was a great deal of promise around Halapio being the starting center for the New York Giants following a productive start to last season.
However, Halapio would suffer a broken leg and miss the remainder of the 2018 season and this season has not looked anywhere near as good as he did at the beginning of last season. Despite Halapio’s consistently disappointing play, backup Spencer Pulley has not done anything to warrant displacing him, making the addition of a center a priority this offseason.
Unfortunately, the free agent class of centers has dried up significantly, with top options such as Cody Whitehair and Ben Jones signing extensions during the season. It is unlikely that the Giants opt to find their starting center for next year through the draft, as day one starters such as Tyler Biadasz, Jake Hansen, Nick Harris and Darryl Williams are expected to go in the early rounds in the draft and the Giants have higher priorities that need to be addressed in those rounds. As a result, they should look to sign free agent center Connor McGovern, something that has been suggested before.
McGovern, who turns 27 prior to the start of the 2020 season, represents a younger free agent option for the Giants. McGovern has allowed just one sack, while committing zero penalties in 881 snaps for the Denver Broncos this season, good for a PFF rating of 67.8. By comparison, Halapio has allowed two sacks and committed four penalties in 851 snaps and has a PFF rating of 53.4.
McGovern is a powerful man, having bench pressed 515-pounds and squatted over 690-pounds in college. In addition to being one of the strongest men in the NFL, the soon-to-be free agent center is athletic for his position. Adding someone of McGovern’s caliber to the center position would go a long way in helping to shore up what has been an atrocious offensive line for the Giants.