The New York Giants have been dealing with offensive line woes for the better part of the last decade. Signings like Nate Solder, Patrick Omameh, and Mark Glowinski have crashed and burned while draft picks like Evan Neal, Ereck Flowers, and Will Hernandez suffered a similar fate.
The unit up front was part of the reason Daniel Jones could never stay upright, but it seems to have stabilized under Carmen Bricillo. When Andrew Thomas is healthy, he’s elite and fifth-round rookie Marcus Mbow has looked like a draft gem from Joe Schoen. Even Neal has a chance to revive his career with his move to guard.
But as some things change, others remain the same. Third-year center John Michael Schmitz Jr. allowed 11 sacks in two seasons, including a league-worst six in 2024, and his struggles have continued into the summer. And they’re reaching the point where his days in New York could be numbered.
John Michael Schmitz might not be a Giant for much longer
After being named a First-Team All-American in his final season at Minnesota, Schmitz Jr. was selected by Big Blue in the second round with the No. 57 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was deemed the second-best center in the draft class behind Jets center Joe Tippmann, who has seen far more NFL success than the 26-year-old.
He’s started 28 games, and he’s allowed nearly 60 pressures over that stretch. According to Pro Football Focus, his 50.2 pass block from 2024 ranked 54th among 64 qualified centers, but his 67 run block grade ranked 20th at the position.
And in Saturday’s preseason clash with Gang Green, Schmitz Jr’s rough summer continued. He fared okay in pass protection against the Bills, but that was not the case at MetLife Stadium. On the plus side, the Illinois native allowed no pressures, but that was likely due to Mike Kafka dialing up a lot of quick passes.
Schmitz’s 42.5 pass blocking grade was evidence of that, as on the play where Russell Wilson and Beaux Collins connected for an 80-yard gain, he needed a little help from Jon Runyan when blocking Derrick Nnadi.
For a team that has finally started to build some stability up front, Schmitz represents a glaring weak link. He might shine as a run-blocker, but Kafka and Brian Daboll are going to employ a pass-heavy scheme in 2025.
Despite some flashes, Schmitz Jr has struggled to live up to the lofty expectations set for him. It's unlikely he gets cut this summer, but it would not be a surprise if he isn’t a Giant for much longer.