We hate to keep coming down on new left tackle Joshua Ezeudu, but the NY Giants offensive lineman really has no business starting right now. The Giants have doubled down on the former third-round pick, originally brought in to be a guard, to be the Andrew Thomas replacement.
That plan hasn't worked out and things are not going to get better with the Pittsburgh Steleers next up on the schedule. T.J. Watt is one of the best in the business and he's going to look to give the entire NY offensive line problems.
With Watt primarily going up against right tackles, it makes sense for Jermaine Eluemunor to stay put to try and contain him, as he's easily the best tackle the Giants have right now. However, any hope of Evan Neal potentially taking over at LT appears to have been eliminated, as guard Jon Runyan Jr. told the media he doesn't see any changes up front for Week 8. That means we'll have another game of Ezeudu protecting Daniel Jones' blindside. What could go wrong? (maybe everything)
LG Jon Runyan Jr. on the offensive line: "I don't anticipate any new changes."
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 23, 2024
Seems to indicate that Josh Ezeudu likely earned another start at left tackle. He settled down as the game went along on Sunday.
Also, TJ Watt plays primarily vs. the right tackle. Would be a bad…
LT Joshua Ezeudu is set to get another start for the NY Giants vs. Pittsburgh
In the loss to the Eagles, the Giants offensive line allowed 17 pressures of Jones and eight sacks. Daboll wouldn't commit to Ezeudu starting again and Joe Schoen brought in D.J. Humphries in for a visit earlier in the week too. Humphries is a former first-round pick, but he's also coming off a torn ACL suffered late last season.
This just goes to show the Giants don't have a ton of faith in Ezeudu being the go-to LT for the rest of the campaign, but they don't really have other options to consider with the Steelers game around the corner. The one idea people had was to trot Neal out there.
Could he be much worse than Ezeudu? Neal is a former No. 7 overall pick, but all signs are pointing to NY already giving up on him. Neal struggled immensely in his first two years, but wasn't Carmen Bricillo supposed to fix him?
Come Week 8, the Giants will be in primetime and the rest of the world will be watching Ezeudu start once again. It could prove to be another long night for the offensive line and the Giants as a whole.