The offensive line has been nothing short of abysmal for the NY Giants for a while now. In 2021, no one can argue that the G-Men featured one of the worst units in the league, with the offense sputtering time and time again. This was due to a lack of protection for quarterback Daniel Jones (before he went down with his neck injury), plus nearly no big holes for Saquon Barkley.
To no one’s surprise, new general manager Joe Schoen made revamping the line a top priority this offseason, signing Jon Feliciano and Mark Glowinski, while using the No. 7 overall pick on offensive tackle Evan Neal. Schoen and Co. also used a third-round selection on guard Joshua Ezeudu. Fans are pumped about the new-looking unit. With that said, how bad were things in 2021?
Three of the Giants starting OL from 2021 are unsigned to NFL teams in Billy Price, Matt Skura & Nate Solder.
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) June 3, 2022
Ex-NY Giants Billy Price, Matt Skura and Nate Solder remain free agents
The fact that Billy Price, Matt Skura AND Nate Solder all remain free agents tells you that other NFL teams out there aren’t too high on their abilities to get the job done. This wasn’t the case for former head coach Joe Judge, as Price started 15 games, Skura started 14 and Solder was out there for 16 contests. Jeez, this is just terrible to see.
Fortunately for the die-hard supporters, these three gentleman are no longer with the organization and head coach Brian Daboll has a totally different group of guys ready to make plays for him in the trenches. Left tackle Andrew Thomas feels primed for another big year, as he was the heart and soul of the o-line last fall.
Despite Thomas being banged up and not being able to participate in the live action at OTAs thus far, he’s mentoring Neal and helping the former Alabama standout learn the ropes. This is massive for Daboll, as Neal is ready to lock down the right tackle spot and follow Thomas’ suit in making sure no opposing pass-rushers get their paws on Jones.
While there may be some growing pains for Neal in Year 1, the projected starting lineup for the offensive line figures to be 10 times better than what the NY supporters saw last season. There’s big expectations for this team all around, and that will certainly be the case for the men up front. Only time will tell if Thomas, Neal and the rest of the crew will step up in the way people are hoping for.