Most NFL coaches will agree that having to cut multiple players to get the roster to 53 players is one of the harder things they have to do. For some, this may have been their last opportunity to ever practice or play with an NFL team again.
Others find themselves back on the practice squad or possibly catching the eye of another organization for an opportunity. Regardless, cutting a player who you’ve built a connection and relationship with will never be easy, but it’s a viscous cycle that happens every year.
On Wednesday, the NY Giants released their initial 53-man roster. It is subject to change with players being placed on the IR and others being cut and waived from the practice squad. Injury concerns are lingering for some, though it should not affect the team’s game for Week 1. Next, we’ll look at four of the best decisions that Joe Schoen made with the Giants 53-man roster.
4. Depth on the offensive line
The 2021 NY Giants offensive line was ranked 30th in the league last season. Offseason signings and the draft have brought in new faces, who the team is hoping will make a big impact. Big Blue’s o-line last season was LT Andrew Thomas, LG Matt Skura, C Billy Price, RG Will Hernandez, and RT Nate Solder.
With Shane Lemieux on the IR, leaving him out for at least four weeks, that means the Giants will have four new starters on the offensive line to start the 2022 season.
Andrew Thomas who was voted captain for the Giants this season, is also the only returning starter to the line. New York has struggled tremendously in the past with consistently having the same five starters week after week. Starters for the offensive line will most likely be LT Andrew Thomas, LG Devery Hamilton, C Jon Feliciano, RG Mark Glowinski, RT Evan Neal.
The right side of the line got a huge upgrade, replacing Hernandez with Glowinski and Solder for Neal. Nick Gates, however, is still fighting back from a serious leg injury he suffered in Week 2 of last season. That is why Joe Schoen recruited Feliciano to come to the Giants with him from Buffalo. If this group can find a way to stay healthy and be out there week after week, this would be a huge improvement from what the team has seen in seasons past.