4 NFL stars the NY Giants could have had instead of Ereck Flowers

4 of 4

1. OL Andrus Peat

The Giants front office addressed the right need in the 2015 draft. The G-Men needed help on the offensive line, and needed it badly. As we know they took the wrong guy with the ninth pick and the right one was out there. Not only was the right one taken just five picks after Flowers, but he was the next offensive tackle taken. Introducing: Andrus Peat. The 13th pick and long time New Orleans Saint signed a five-year, $57.5 million deal with the organization in 2020 and is one of the best OL in the game when healthy. He has become what the Giants were hoping Flowers would be.

Peat is a three-time Pro Bowler and an extremly disciplined lineman. Since 2019, Peat has only committed four holding penalties in 40 games. In his entire career, he's committed more than three holding penalties in a year just once. To put that in perspective, Flowers committed more than three holding penalites every year he was with the Giants.

Peat would have fit like a glove with the Giants. He is, quite literally, who they should have taken in Flowers spot. Peat essentially would have been blocking for the same type of quarterback in New York as he was in New Orleans. Like Drew Brees, Manning never had the storngest arm and was basically immobile by the time 2015 rolled around.

That's another intersting wrinkle in this: how would those quarterback careers be different? Brees would have still been Brees, but does he retire earlier after taking much more hits with Flowers protecting him instead? Does Manning hang around longer and have a little more left in the tank because he's not getting as beat up? To think what could have been with Peat as our offensive anchor instead of Flowers really makes you want to pull your hair out.