The New York Giants have fielded one of the worst offenses in the NFL for the better part of a decade. Since 2016, they've finished inside the top 15 in scoring offense just once, landing 15th in the 2022 Daniel Jones season that turned out to be a flash in the pan.
As any NFL roster builder would tell you, the fix starts up front. Big Blue hasn't found consistency on the offensive line, leading to struggles for the unit as a whole. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky thinks that the Giants have the big men to turn things around in 2026. On a recent episode of "Get Up," he made a bold claim about the unit that could easily turn out to be true.
Orlovsky said, "I think this will be the best offensive line the Giants have had in ten years."
Giants' improved offensive line is built for a Jaxson Dart breakout
New York's 2026 offensive line isn't just better than its previous iterations. It may end up being one of the best units in the league.
Andrew Thomas is a certified star at left tackle. If he stays healthy, he'll give Jaxson Dart reliable blindside protection. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor enjoyed a mini-breakout last season, more than earning his $39 million contract extension. Drop top-ten pick Francis Mauigoa into the equation at right guard, and you're cooking with gas.
John Michael Schmitz Jr. at center and Jon Runyan at left guard aren't exactly stalwarts, but the hope is that they can be lifted by the talent around them.
Orlovsky's right. The unit can be better than it has been in the last decade. If it is, Dart will be set up for the breakout season that fans are hoping to see.
Dart took the 11th-most sacks in the NFL last season with 35, and he only started in 12 games. Sure, some of those sacks were the quarterback's fault, but his protection didn't always hold up.
If the line can give Dart an extra half-second to process defensive looks, the second-year passer could become a much more efficient player. He took an average of 3.08 seconds to throw the ball last year, a bad combination with an interior offensive line that struggled to protect him.
On top of the improved pass blocking that the line should give, a more reliable running game would take pressure off of Dart's shoulders. Mauigoa has already shown this preseason that he can move defenders in the running game. If the line can create more space for the running backs, Dart will be put in more favorable situations.
The Giants aren't just built to have their best offensive line in a decade. The offense as a whole could be better than it has been in years.
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