For the first time in a long time, the New York Giants' offensive line wasn't an abject disaster in 2025. In fact, they were widely regarded as one of the stronger units, even earning a top-10 spot in Pro Football Focus' final O-line rankings.
There’s a path where all five return, but with Jon Runyan looking more like a cap casualty by the day, John Michael Schmitz still struggling three years in, and Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eluemunor set to hit free agency, the odds of continuity feel slim. A tidal wave of change could hit the front harder than it already has this offseason.
Out are Mike Kafka (former offensive coordinator) and Carmen Bricillo (former offensive line coach), and in are Matt Nagy and Mike Bloomgren, respectively. Along with systematic changes, Giants fans could expect personnel changes, and one name just sprang to the top of the list due to his familiarity with Nagy.
Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor was released on Monday in a cap-saving move. The 28-year-old just spent the past three seasons working under Nagy in KC and could be viewed as an Eluemunor replacement, but new head coach John Harbaugh would be wise to shut down all talks of that.
Giants can’t afford to gamble on Jawaan Taylor just because of Matt Nagy
The G-Men have no business looking to reunite Nagy with his former right tackle. That is, if he even makes it out of Kansas City. There's a good chance he gets arrested for robbing the Chiefs blind with his four-year, $80 million deal he signed with them back in 2023.
To say the 2019 second-rounder underwhelmed in his three seasons in Kansas City would be an understatement. According to PFF, he posted the three worst grades of his career and committed more total penalties than any offensive lineman over the past three seasons, with 40:
Year | PFF Grade | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
2023 | 51.6 (73/84) | 16 |
2024 | 59.9 (63/81) | 14 |
2025 | 53.3 (80/89) | 10 |
Even with the known struggles, there will still be a market for Taylor. Over the Cap projects the 6-foot-5, 330-pound tackle to earn around $11.5 million on his next deal. And while that’s nearly half of what Eluemunor could command, it’s still not worth the gamble.
The Cleveland Browns just traded for Texans lineman Tytus Howard and handed him a three-year, $63 million deal, which comes out to $21 million annually. Howard’s age and production are eerily similar to Eluemunor’s, and even The Athletic sees it, projecting a two-year, $42 million deal for the 31-year-old -- the same $21 million per year range.
Personally, I believe the Giants should pay Eluemunor market value for whatever an RT costs, and if that's over $20 million per year, so be it. They can't afford not to pay it.
The Giants finally found stability up front last season. That’s not something you mess with because an old connection is convenient. If Harbaugh wants to start this era the right way, it can’t be by cutting corners on the offensive line. Familiarity is fine. Paying for proven production is better.