Can the NY Giants’ newest offensive lineman solve the unit’s woes, especially after playing vital snaps against the Broncos in Week 1?
The NY Giants did not play nearly well enough to win or even have a close second-half game in Week 1.
New York was outcoached, outclassed, as the Giants were simply dominated by Denver most of Sunday’s 27-13 loss.
Heading into the contest, there were great concerns surrounding the NY Giants’ offensive line. The group has let the team down for the better part of a decade now.
The offensive line couldn’t provide much help in the run game on Sunday. They opened very few holes for Saquon and Devontae Booker to run through and it hurt their gameplan immensely.
However, the pass protection was actually pretty good. It was a surprisingly solid performance in pass sets as Daniel Jones consistently had time to throw. The issue was he was missing open guys downfield and the receivers didn’t do enough to consistently create separation.
Shane Lemieux was entrenched as the NY Giants’ starting left guard all offseason. In training camp, Lemieux got injured. He is dealing with a partially torn patellar tendon, a very serious injury for any player. Lemieux has gutted it through as a tough dude but he hasn’t been able to handle a full workload yet.
Ben Bredeson took Lemieux’s place for most of Week 1.
Bredeson took more snaps than Lemieux, with a 44 to 17 snap difference. The snap counts are very noticeable as Bredeson apparently took over as the starter at guard for 72% of the game. Bredeson was solid in his debut and will likely see his role increased as the season goes on. He came to the team last week via trade from the Ravens.
We reached out to Justin Fried from our friends at Ebony Bird. Justin gave some great insight on the Giants’ new guard.
Here’s a look at what Ben Bredeson has the chance to add to the NY Giants’ line:
GMEN HQ: Question #1: What are your overall thoughts on Ben Bredeson?
Ebony Bird:
Bredeson is a young player who couldn’t crack the Ravens’ starting unit as a rookie despite a slew of injuries along the offensive line. Hardly an ideal situation for a player who many viewed as a high-floor prospect coming out of high school.
It’s hard to identify where his struggles have come from given that he was barely allowed to see the field. On paper, Bredeson should have been an ideal fit for the Ravens’ power-run scheme. But the coaching staff never trusted him enough to put him on the field and he was on the roster bubble this summer.
There’s still plenty of time for him to turn things around, but a slow start to his career has caused concerns. After all, there’s a reason why he was traded away after just one season.
GMEN HQ: Question #2: What are Bredeson’s strengths and weaknesses?
Ebony Bird:
Bredeson’s strength has always been his raw power and run blocking.
The Michigan product was one of the strongest players in the 2020 NFL Draft class and he made a living in college as a powerful run blocker.
However, his ceiling isn’t sky-high given his subpar length and athleticism. Bredeson is more powerful than he is explosive and he lacks the lateral mobility and overall length to probably be anything more than an average player at his position.
GMEN HQ: Question #3: Do you still see room for growth? What can his ceiling be in the NY Giants’ offense?
Ebony Bird:
Given that he’s only 23-years-old, there’s undoubtedly still room for growth.
Bredeson was a high-floor/low-ceiling prospect coming out of college. That’s what made his slow start all the more concerning. The coaching staff didn’t believe he was NFL-ready, which is concerning for a player who doesn’t have a high ceiling, to begin with.
Still, Bredeson is a functionally sound run blocker who should be able to find success in a power-run scheme. Don’t underestimate the impact that the pandemic had on the 2020 rookie class.
The Ravens didn’t have room for Bredeson on their roster, but in a razor-thin Giants offensive line group, he should have a chance to see the field this season. His ceiling is likely that of an average starting guard. But at this stage, if he could develop into a quality backup, that would probably be a win for the Giants.
GMEN HQ: Question #4: What are your overall thoughts on the trade?
Ebony Bird:
The trade makes sense for both parties.
The Giants are stockpiling offensive linemen as they look to throw a bunch of combinations out there to see what sticks. Bredeson is young enough that he still has room to develop and they were able to get him at a relatively cheap price.
As for the Ravens, Bredeson was fighting for the final offensive line spot on the roster and was likely bound for the practice squad if he didn’t get it. They were at least able to recoup some assets for a player who likely didn’t have a future role with the team. It’s a worthwhile gamble for the Giants and a no-brainer trade for the Ravens.