John Michael Schmitz might want to start looking over his shoulder after the New York Giants hosted veteran offensive lineman Kendrick Green for a visit on Thursday, according to the NFL transaction wire.
Teams bring in free agents all the time, so having Green in for a look doesn’t necessarily mean a move is coming. Regardless, it’s nearly impossible not to put two and two together with Schmitz playing some of the worst football of his career, especially with the former second-round pick inexplicably saving some of his worst football during a contract year.
The Giants have Bryan Hudson sitting behind him on the 53-man roster, which makes the potential of adding another center to the mix something worth paying attention to. For a player who entered 2026 needing to prove he deserved to remain part of New York’s offensive line, JMS hasn’t exactly made a compelling argument so far.
The Giants have signed Green to the practice squad.
Giants might finally be losing patience with John Michael Schmitz
At this point, it’s fair to wonder what we’re still doing with this guy. Schmitz’s first three seasons in New York were hardly impressive, and Year 4 hasn’t brought the lightbulb moment anyone was hoping for.
The 2023 second-round pick sports a 45.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade through three games, ranking 32nd out of 33 eligible centers. His 49.7 run-blocking grade ranks 29th, while his 42.3 pass-blocking mark sits 31st. Sunday against Tennessee was especially ugly, with Schmitz earning a 19.0 pass-blocking grade while every other Giant on the line played well.
It might be time to test the Hudson waters. The 25-year-old spent time working with the first team during training camp while Schmitz was working through a concussion.
Green could give New York another option to consider. The 27-year-old was a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 and has experience at both center and guard after bouncing around between the Steelers, Texans, Bills, and Browns.
Cleveland released him from injured reserve with an injury settlement on Tuesday, so to say it didn't take Big Blue long to take a closer gander at the 6-foot-4, 315-pounder would be quite the understatement.
Green coming in for a visit doesn’t mean much of anything for now. But... Schmitz is playing out the final year of his rookie contract -- Hudson pushed him during the summer, and now John Harbaugh and Co. are poking around the free-agent market three games into the season.
New York eventually has to decide whether JMS belongs anywhere near its long-term plans at center, and if the first three weeks are any indication, that decision might be getting easier by the snap.
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