The New York Giants have spent the better part of the last five years searching for offensive line answers, and all they’ve really found is a bigger bill. In 2025, they’re heading into the season with the third-most expensive offensive line in football—a unit that costs $69.5 million and still manages to make the phrase “under construction” feel generous.
While teams like the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs are shelling out similar amounts for their offensive trenches, the Giants’ return on investment reads more like a cautionary tale. Andrew Thomas is an elite talent when he’s healthy, but he’s spent more time on the sideline than on the field lately. The rest of the starting five? A mix of free-agent patchwork, injury replacements, and hopeful development cases that haven’t exactly inspired confidence.
Teams sparing no expense to keep their QBs upright 🛡️
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) June 1, 2025
H/T @Jason_OTC pic.twitter.com/4cgAUkrrZf
The 2024 version of this line gave up fewer sacks than its disaster-class 2023 predecessor, which is technically an improvement—but that’s where the compliments run out.
Giants offensive line remains a major concern despite top-three spending
When a team allocates nearly $70 million to a position group, there’s an expectation that it won’t constantly require luck to hold together. But the G-Men haven’t gotten consistency, health, or cohesion out of this group. They’ve gotten instability at right guard, underwhelming growth at center, and Evan Neal’s career wandering aimlessly into a position change.
Neal, once billed as a long-term tackle, is now competing to play inside at guard after the Giants declined his fifth-year option. Jon Runyan Jr. was a nice free-agent addition, but his 2024 season ended with an injury. Jermaine Eluemunor showed flashes at right tackle—before the team tried moving him to the left side out of necessity.
Meanwhile, John Michael Schmitz is being counted on to take a leap after a forgettable first two years, and the depth behind the starters is still thin enough to cause anxiety. Fifth-round draft pick Marcus Mbow will look to take on a key depth role immediately, but he's not a proven option.
The financial commitment is hard to ignore. Andrew Thomas carries a $21.1 million cap hit, and while he’s worth every cent when healthy, the rest of the line hasn’t justified the price tag. Big Blue needs to get the O-line right this time around with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart waiting to take over.
It’s a rough place to be: too financially invested to pivot without pain, too unproven to feel confident moving forward. For all the resources poured into the offensive line, the Giants still can’t be sure whether they’ve built a capable unit or just an expensive mirage.