Getty Images Star tackle Andrew Thomas will be a Giant through 2024 -- at least.
The New York Giants just made the easiest decision its offseason.
Big Blue announced exercised its fifth-year option on second-team All Pro tackle Andrew Thomas on May 2, keeping Thomas blocking quarterback Daniel Jones’ blindside through the 2024 season.
The move will cost New York just $14.1 million that season — a “no brainer” according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Thomas is exiting his best season as a pro. The third-year left tackle out of Georgia was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded offensive lineman for long spurts of the 2022 season.
He ended up PFF’s third-best tackle and 16th-best player overall, trailing only Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson (No. 9) and San Francisco’s Trent Williams (13) at his position.
“It’s hard to believe that Thomas was a liability as a rookie left tackle for the Giants,” PFF wrote about Thomas in its Top 101 Player Rankings. “This year, he was consistently one of football’s best tackles, finishing with 81.0-plus PFF grades as both a run blocker and pass protector.”
Thomas’ improvement is clear for all to see. He’s evolved into a franchise lynchpin the Giants want to keep through 2024 — and beyond.
Giants’ Fifth-Year Andrew Thomas Option Sets Table For Mega Extension
Thomas’ new deal could be the precursor to something much, much bigger.
In fact, “it wouldn’t be surprising” if the team and their tackle ironed out a new long-term deal before long, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard.
“This (fifth-year option) was a formality,” Leonard tweeted. “It wouldn’t be surprising if Thomas has a new long-term deal before this season starts. He’s certainly earned it.”
The #Giants have picked up the fifth-year option on starting left tackle Andrew Thomas, the team announced.
This was a formality, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Thomas had a new long-term deal before this season starts.
He’s certainly earned it.
Leonard might be right. How much more Thomas has earned is barely in question, too.
A new contract for Thomas is expected to start at $25 million per year, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. That’d place Thomas, who turned 24 in January, atop the highest-paid leaderboard currently occupied by 28-year-old Texans tackle Laremy Tunsil.
“The Giants got a sense of how much an extension for left tackle Andrew Thomas will cost after Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil secured a three-year, $75 million extension,” Duggan wrote on March 21. “Tunsil, who is in the conversation for best left tackle in the league, turns 29 in August. Thomas, who is on the verge of entering that conversation, turned 24 in January. Translation: A Thomas extension will start at $25 million per year.”
When Will Andrew Thomas’ Mega Deal Happen With The Giants?
General manager Joe Schoen likely has that Thomas deal high on his to-do list.
Two items ahead of Thomas on that list: Navigating running back Saquon Barkley’s tricky negotiations while ironing out a similar super-deal for defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
After the 2023 NFL draft, Schoen told reporters he planned to “reconvene and see if (a Barkley contract) makes sense or not.” He said the “same deal” applies to Lawrence negotiations, too.
“(Lawrence’s) representation had a lot of prospects in the draft, and we were focused on the draft in our meetings,” Schoen said. “Next week, things will calm down a little bit, and we’ll circle back up with everybody.”
New York is armed with nearly $80 million in 2024 cap space, according to Spotrac. The team has the space — and the motivation — to make deals happen.
But that space could evaporate quickly if all three players get the contracts they’re after.
Thomas and Lawrence could receive deals of around $25 million per year. Barkley wants north of the $12 million annual salary commanded by Browns back Nick Chubb.
Add it all together and a $65 million (or more) chunk could be carved out of New York’s cap before next offseason even begins.