Getty Nate Solder #76, Daniel Jones #8, and Billy Price #69 of the New York Giants look on heading to the sideline during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on October 17, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The New York Giants roster has a long way to go to return to the championship form of a decade ago. The process will begin along the offensive line.
The Giants can go about improving their abysmal front five in a number of ways, but the surest and easiest will be through the upcoming NFL Draft. Brent Sobleski, of Bleacher Report, published a list of the best players each franchise can hope to secure this offseason. For the Giants, the answer is an All-American offensive lineman by the name of Ikem Ekwonu.
Sobleski’s thoughts on the North Carolina State product are as follows:
A pair of tackles are viewed as elite draft picks. Alabama’s Evan Neal could very well be the No. 1 overall pick because the 6’7″, 350-pound blocker is an exceptional athlete at a premium position. North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu isn’t a consolation prize, though. The unanimous All-American developed into college football’s most dominant blocker.
Some organizations might project the 6’4″, 320-pound Ekwonu as more of a guard than a tackle because of his squatter frame and the fact that he’s already played the position at a high level. For the Giants, an elite talent to upgrade the unit is all that matters.
Giants Have One of Worst Offensive Lines in Football
GettyLeft tackle Andrew Thomas, of the New York Giants.
As all football fans are aware, the lack of an offensive line can derail even the most prolific of offensive attacks — take the Kansas City Chiefs‘ debacle of a Super Bowl performance last February as the most recent high-profile example.
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For a team like the Giants that has more than a little skill position talent to work with, it’s hard to even get the offense started, let alone elevate to one of the top units in the league, when the front line is getting no push in the run game and offering little protection in the pass game.
“The New York Giants offensive line is a disaster,” Sobleski wrote. “Aside from left tackle Andrew Thomas, the unit doesn’t feature many salvageable parts.”
Unfortunately for Giants fans, he couldn’t be more right. Part of the problem has been injuries to multiple players, but that’s not where New York’s offensive line issues begin or end. According to a list compiled by Pro Football Focus (PFF) after Week 15 of the regular season, the Giants O-line was ranked 28th as a group — in other words, the fifth worst unit in the entire NFL.
“The Giants have dealt with a number of injuries this season, paving the way for seven different linemen to play at least 200 snaps,” wrote Sam Monson, author of the PFF offensive line rankings article published in mid-December.
“Andrew Thomas has shown massive improvements in his sophomore season, with just one sack surrendered and a 79.5 PFF pass-blocking grade. But when he is out of the lineup, things get ugly quickly,” Monson continued. “In 10 games, Matt Skura has earned a lowly 35.8 PFF pass-blocking grade. And the highest run-blocking grade on the team belongs to Billy Price at just 67.2.”
Giants Have One of Strongest 2022 Draft Positions in NFL
GettyThe New York Giants offensive line has struggled mightily this season.
The Giants should be able to make significant improvements to their offensive line, and the team in general, considering their position in the upcoming NFL Draft.
With one week left to play in the regular season, New York currently owns the 5th pick with a win/loss record of 4-12. The Giants will start third-string quarterback Jake Fromm when they host the Washington Football Team Sunday in a game New York should have less than zero interest in winning.
Also at 4-12 are the New York Jets and the Houston Texans, sitting in the fourth and third draft positions, respectively. The Jets will play on the road against the Buffalo Bills, while the Texans host the Tennessee Titans. With a loss, the worst draft position in which the Giants will find their own pick is No. 5, while selections No. 3 or No. 4 are possible to attain, even if long shots.
New York also owns the rights to the first round pick of the Chicago Bears, who currently sit in the 8th draft position with a record of 6-10. They will play on the road against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, who rather inexplicably have decided to play starting QB Kirk Cousins despite already being eliminated from playoff contention.
Bears starting QB rookie Justin Fields will sit out the game after being designated to the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, weakening further Chicago’s chances of pulling off an upset victory while improving the Giants’ draft prospects at the same time.