Some major changes are needed for the NY Giants up front and general manager Joe Schoen has decided he's seen enough. On Monday night, the offensive line gave up a brutal 11 sacks. Quarterback Daniel Jones was running for his life throughout the game. Enter Justin Pugh.
On Tuesday morning, NFL insider Mike Garafolo has reported that the G-Men have signed the former Big Blue first-round pick to a new deal. Per Garafolo, Pugh will land on the practice squad to start, but with the way the OL has been playing, you've got to figure he'll be elevated sooner than later.
The #Giants are signing OL Justin Pugh to their practice squad, sources say. The team’s 2013 first-round pick returns to East Rutherford to join an offensive line in need of help and depth.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 3, 2023
Giants sign Justin Pugh in a needed move for offensive line depth
We don't have to tell you how awful the offensive line looked in Week 4. As bas as Jones was during the loss, his linemen didn't give him a chance for success against Seattle. The Seahawks pass-rush made everyone pay in the 24-3 defeat.
With Pugh, he's coming off a torn ACL he suffered with the Arizona Cardinals last season, but he's clearly far enough along in his recovery that a return to action could be around the corner. He appeared in five games during the 2022 campaign before being sidelined.
Pugh made his debut with the Giants in 2013, spending the first five campaigns in his career in East Rutherford. Pugh made 63 appearances for the Giants (all starts) before heading to Arizona for five years. This is a solid depth signing for NY, as Pugh has experience at both guard and tackle.
The Giants OL needs a total makeover. Week in and week out, they simply are not giving Jones enough time to make plays. Their play has easily been a major letdown. Once Andrew Thomas returns from his hamstring injury, the leader of the group will make a massive difference.
However, Evan Neal, Marcus McKethan, Joshua Ezeudu and others just haven't shown much promise in '23. Pugh is now in his 11th year in the league and he knows what it takes to get the job done. This signing alone should give Giants fans hope that improvements in protecting Jones are on the way.