It's been well over a decade since the New York Giants have fielded a competent offensive line — probably not since 2012. There have been stretches of solid play here and there, but for a full season? It’s been that long. Those were the David Diehl and Chris Snee days, and they’ve been chasing that level of consistency ever since.
The low point was probably 2023 — at least in recent memory. That year, the team gave up 85 sacks. That’s abhorrently insane. It led the league by 20 and ranks as the second-highest total all-time. Naturally, general manager Joe Schoen set out to fix the Swiss cheese of a line by throwing money at the problem. Enter Jon Runyan.
Runyan was a free agent, and in desperate need of O-line help, Schoen handed him a three-year, $30 million deal. His run protection was considered adequate, but it was his pass protection that stood out — and that’s what New York was banking on when they signed the 27-year-old.
To say Runyan’s first season with the G-Men was one to forget would be an understatement. His $10 million-per-year salary hasn’t matched the on-field production, and NFL Spin Zone’s Lou Scataglia wasted no time calling out the albatross deal in his recent breakdown of every team’s worst contract heading into 2025.
Jon Runyan signing highlights Giants’ ongoing O-line concerns
Scataglia pointed to Runyan's atrocious Pro Football Focus grade not matching the level of play on the field:
"PFF gave Jon Runyan Jr a 56.1 grade in 2024, which graded out at 94th among 136 qualified guards, so his play might not warrant the $10 million contract he somehow scored from the Giants last offseason," he wrote. "Joe Schoen has been among the worst GMs in the NFL since taking over a few years ago, and Runyan is one of his many mistakes.
You almost feel bad for Giants fans at this point, right?"
The verbiage reads a bit aggressive, but the meat and potatoes are there. Runyan’s contract probably ranks among the worst — but really only in hindsight. He was known as an impressive pass protector with good mobility. It’s hard to fault Schoen for trying to avoid another 85-sack season.
Runyan actually played well early on, at least until Andrew Thomas went down... and then he suffered his own season-ending injury in Week 14.
As for feeling bad for Giants fans, I’d argue there are plenty of fanbases that wish they had it as good as the G-Men. Yeah, it’s been a slow burn the last couple of seasons, but the history is rich. Four Super Bowl championships in five appearances is no joke. Sure, the product on the field hasn’t been great under the Schoen and Brian Daboll era, but things are looking up.
Still, the story isn’t finished. Runyan has time to turn things around and prove he wasn’t just a desperate swing-and-miss. But if he doesn’t, this deal will keep haunting Schoen — and the Giants’ never-ending search for a stable offensive line will drag on into yet another chapter.