The NY Giants are bringing in Jon Halapio for a workout, as it appears the veteran is fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered last year.
Even though it seemed like Jon Halapio’s fate with the NY Giants was sealed when the team didn’t tender him earlier in the offseason, GM Dave Gettleman did keep the door open for a return at the time and “Pio” now jut may get that return.
According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the NY Giants plan to work out the veteran offensive lineman on Tuesday.
This actually did not happen yet. Tomorrow. Was on today's transaction wire though. https://t.co/7zTAY10DJa
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) August 31, 2020
Halapio is clearly almost back to full health from the torn Achilles he suffered in last year’s season finale as he also worked out for the Houston Texans last week.
I was hoping that the team had moved on from the converted center for good, as the player that opened up both 2018 and 2019 as the team’s starting center has shown during his time with the NY Giants that he is mediocre at best.
After bouncing around the league during his first three seasons as a guard, the Giants converted ‘Pio’ to center in 2018 and to say he struggled would be being kind. During the two years he put up at least 300 snaps with Big Blue, he graded out with a 56 or under in terms of a Pro Football Focus grade.
The Big Blue offensive line struggled mightily with interior pressure in 2019 and Halapio was a major reason for that. While he will likely come cheap, the move wouldn’t make much sense given what we’ve seen out of him on the field.
Does this mean the NY Giants are losing faith in Nick Gates?
NY Giants’ offensive lineman Nick Gates’ transition to center this offseason has been well documented, as Dave Gettleman seems intent on teaching a talented offensive lineman how to play center rather than just finding a capable center (something that’s easier said than done, good centers are hard to come by).
Gates is a fan favorite, and for good reason, as he has risen from the ranks of the undrafted to starter in just two years’ time. Initially, a left tackle, Gates has played every position along the NY Giants’ offensive line during his time with Big Blue and early report out of camp about his transition to center have been encouraging.
If anything, I’d take this more as a slight at veteran Spencer Pulley who has been banged up and appears to be losing the center battle to the young Gates.
Pulley is set to count about $2.75M against the NY Giants 2020 cap, but none of that figure is guaranteed, so cutting him to add a player that’s about the same caliber on a veteran’s minimum deal would begin to explain why Gettleman is interested in seeing where Halapio stands health wise.