With Joe Schoen leading the charge, the New York Giants have begun to assemble a roster full of talent. Now with both the NFL Draft and free agency quickly approaching, they could look to take their roster to a new level.
One key area that the team will look to address will be the offensive line. At left tackle, Andrew Thomas appears headed towards stardom, and at right tackle, they have a second-year player full of potential in Evan Neal.
With both tackle spots occupied, the Giants could turn their attention to the interior. Mark Glowinski appears set to once again be a starter at guard, but both Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates are set to hit free agency. There is depth in this area, but many of these players are young and have yet to prove themselves in the NFL. In turn, free agency could be key to addressing the offensive line. Here are four offensive lineman the Giants must target in free agency:
4. C Garrett Bradbury
Over his four NFL seasons, Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury has developed into one of the league’s more reliable options at his position. But now headed toward free agency, he could be on the search for a new team.
Since being drafted in 2019, Bradbrry has been consistent, and steadily available. Over the past three seasons, he has played in 100 percent of the Vikings offensive snaps. This sort of availability could be enough to put him on the Giants radar – he has proven time and time again how durable he can be.
In 2022, while taking the field for 809 offensive snaps, Bradbry was once again solid. He finished the year allowing just two sacks in a Vikings offense that threw the ball early and often. Bradbury has also proven to be reliable against the run. With his skillset, he could be the type of player that helps elevate this Giants offensive line.
3. OG Ben Powers
In his fourth NFL season, Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Powers underwent a true breakout campaign. Powers, who played in all 17 games, was a force along the offensive line and did a fantastic job from start to finish for the AFC North side. His development this past season was great to see.
Powers took the field for a total of 1,094 plays in 2022. While only being called for just one penalty, he allowed zero sacks. In addition, he allowed just one quarterback hit, and 12 total quarterback pressures according to PFF. Those are the kind of stats that will impress GMs moving forward.
Powers made his impact on the Ravens offense through the passing game. He did at times struggle with run blocking, which could cause him to struggle in this run-heavy Giants offense. But if he can make the proper improvements, especially while playing alongside Thomas, he could help the interior of this offensive line in a big way.
2. C Ethan Pocic
Following five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, center Ethan Pocic joined the Cleveland Browns for the 2022 campaign. In his lone year with the team, he played some of the best football of his career. Now set to hit free agency once again, he should be on several teams’ radar, including the Giants.
Pocic finished the 2021 season, his last with the Seahawks, with a PFF grade of 67.3. Over 600 offensive snaps, he allowed two sacks while being called for one penalty.
Following his decision to join the Browns, Pocic seemed to have taken his game to a new level. While playing 819 snaps, he allowed just two sacks on the season. In addition, he finished the season with a 79.0 PFF grade.
Pocic had the luxury of playing on one of the NFL’s best offensive lines last season. In turn, many have speculated that this is why he saw a drastic jump in improvement. But nonetheless, he could be worth targeting in free agency. If he is able to play how he did in 2022, he could be the Giants center of the future.
1. OT Taylor Lewan
While Thomas has seemingly solidified himself as a star at the left tackle position, right tackle Neal came along slowly in his rookie season. Neal has all the makings of a superstar, and could very well find his footing in Year 2. But if this Giants front office is looking to add legitimate depth at the position, targeting a proven veteran in Taylor Lewan could make sense.
Following his recent release from the Tennessee Titans, Lewan could be one of the most notable tackles on the market. But at 31 years old, and coming off of a torn ACL in 2022, Lewan could potentially struggle to find a starting job,
When healthy, Lewan has been among the most dominant tackles in the NFL. Unfortunately, injuries have impacted him heavily over the past few seasons. Over his past three campaigns, he has missed a total of 29 games.
By adding Lewan, the Giants offensive line would gain a proven veteran. He could also help the progression of both Thomas and Neal. In addition, he could bring a security blanket to the tackle position. Both Neal (missed multiple games) and Thomas dealt with injuries in 2022, and with no proven depth at the position, the line struggled at times. Adding Lewan would immediately address this problem.
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