Getty The Giants have signed starting offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Mark Glowinski to help bolster their offensive line.
The New York Giants were quiet for much of the day after the tampering period of free agency officially began at noon Eastern time on Monday, March 14. But in the early hours of the evening, new general manager Joe Schoen made two significant moves to bolster the offensive line.
First, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Giants signed offensive guard Mark Glowinski to a three-year, $20 million contract, which includes $11.4 million in guaranteed money.
OG Mark Glowinski has agreed to terms with the New York Giants, per source — three years at $20 million with $11.4 million fully guaranteed, per source.
Glowinski, who was previously with the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2021, started 46 out of 48 games at guard for Indianapolis across the past three seasons.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old is expected to start at right guard for the Giants moving forward, which was a spot that was held by second-round draft bust and current free agent Will Hernandez in 2021.
Glowinski was ranked in Pro Football Focuses’ top 20 in both offensive grade and run-blocking grade among offensive guards last season. However, he has been known to struggle in pass protection.
The Entrée
Although the move to add Glowinski was initially expected to be the Giants’ biggest acquisition of the day, and maybe the entire offseason, Schoen and company weren’t finished just yet.
The former Buffalo Bills‘ assistant GM also brought in a key starter from Buffalo’s offensive line in Jon Feliciano. According to Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com, Feliciano signed a one-year deal with the Giants on Monday night.
SOURCE: Former #Bills offensive lineman Jon Feliciano will rejoin Brian Daboll and Bobby Johnson in New York. He’ll play center for the Giants. It’s a one-year deal. Could hit market again in 2023 after big year.
Feliciano will reunite with Schoen, Brian Daboll and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson in New York. Feliciano spent the past three seasons in Buffalo under Daboll, who was the Bills’ offensive coordinator, and Johnson, who will remain his offensive line coach.
The Giants have limited salary cap space to work with, which is why signing Feliciano was not looked at as a realistic move up until this point. Feliciano was shockingly released by the Bills on March 9 after he refused to take a pay cut. Now he will take a one-year prove it deal with the Giants before possibly re-entering the open market after the season.
The 30-year-old started 31 out of 34 games at right guard with the Bills from 2019 to 2021. Feliciano is considered to be one of the top interior offensive linemen in football, and the plan is for him to play center with the Giants in 2022, per Parrino.
Draft Outlook
So how does the addition of both Glowinski and Feliciano affect the Giants’ upcoming draft strategy?
Schoen and Daboll said in January that they’re going to put the right pieces around quarterback Daniel Jones as he enters a make-or-break season with the Giants, according to Giants.com. But although the 2022 NFL draft will feature a talented offensive line class, the Giants weren’t going to rely on a unit made up of rookies to protect Jones. That’s why they brought in two veteran starters to join established third year left tackle Andrew Thomas, forming a line that still has holes but is already much-improved on paper.
While the Giants are still in need of a right tackle and left guard, the additions of Glowinski and Feliciano will allow them to be more opportunistic in the draft by selecting the best player available with their two top 10 picks. Whether they take a pass rusher at No. 5 and another offensive lineman at No. 7, or vice versa, the Giants hope to be setting themselves up to be able to compete next season, despite having a number of different factors working against them.
Top cornerback prospect Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner is another name that has gained some steam as a potential top 10 draft choice for the Giants. Gardner, who starred at the University of Cincinnati, has been pegged by Giants reporter Ed Valentine as an ideal fit in defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s system. With the offensive line being heavily addressed in free agency, drafting Gardner could be a possible route for the Giants this spring.
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