While the New York Giants' kicker battle ensues and the wide receiver scrap rages on, there's a sneaky training camp battle brewing in the shadows. It's not getting as much attention as the flashier storylines, but it absolutely should.
Talking offensive line is never the sexiest, and that rings especially true when you are talking about the backups of an already unsexy group. However, with the Giants' first preseason game coming up on Saturday, the battle for the backup center position just became one of the more interesting subplots to follow.
With both starter John Michael Schmitz and veteran backup Lucas Patrick sidelined, backup-to-the-backup Bryan Hudson suddenly has the opportunity of a lifetime. He has the chance to capitalize on all of these first-team reps and prove that he should, at the very least, usurp Patrick as the team’s primary reserve.
But it goes deeper than that. A strong showing by Hudson might also put JMS -- and his struggling career to date -- under serious pressure to finally figure it out in Year 4. With a contract extension looming this offseason, the math is simple: if Hudson can prove himself to be a legitimate starting option who’s younger and cheaper, why wouldn’t the G-Men at least consider it?
Bryan Hudson has a golden opportunity to shake up Giants’ center plans
Hudson has already been making the most of his opportunity. Schmitz has been sidelined with a concussion, while Patrick has been dealing with some ongoing knee issues. That has allowed the 25-year-old to take every first-team rep over the past week.
It’s also fair to wonder how comfortable the Giants are with the durability of both JMS and Patrick, whom the G-Men signed earlier this offseason.
Patrick has been under this kind of pressure before. Just last year, a calf strain opened up the door for backup Dalton Risner to take his spot, leaving Patrick with no real role throughout the rest of the season. Hudson has the chance to do the exact same thing to him in 2026.
Funny enough, Hudson was a preseason darling last year before getting sent to the practice squad. He turned heads after posting an elite 90.7 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), which was the second-highest grade among all 56 centers who played in the preseason.
Originally undrafted out of Louisville in 2024, he signed with the Detroit Lions before eventually landing with the New England Patriots. The Pats waived him later that season, and the very next day, he joined the Giants’ practice squad.
It’s funny how quickly an overlooked part of the roster can suddenly become one of the most important. What started as a sneaky camp battle is about to take center stage on Saturday afternoon.
If Patrick can’t stay healthy and JMS continues to struggle in Year 4, New York could have a real decision to make when it's 53-man roster time. Hudson has a legitimate shot to play home-wrecker, and if he keeps making the most of his opportunity, the Giants might have found their long-term backup center with the potential for something more.
Add us as a preferred source on Google