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Making a position switch should be at the top of the agenda for the New York Giants, after the team received a devastating injury update concerning standout left tackle Andrew Thomas. The setback was revealed on Tuesday, October 15, the same day the Giants signed Armon Watts, a veteran defensive tackle well known to defensive line coach Andre Patterson.
Thomas “is expected to miss an extended period of time with a foot injury, per sources.” That’s according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who also reported the fourth pick in the 2020 NFL draft is “still considering other options but there is concern it could be season-ending.”
Those other options include “meeting with noted foot expert Dr. Robert Anderson,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He pointed out how “surgery to fix the issue, which is possible, would likely be season-ending.”
The bleak prognosis for an ailment Thomas appeared to suffer during the 17-7 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, leaves an improved offensive line in disarray. Thomas was missed last season when the Giants allowed 85 sacks, the most in the NFL.
Performances have improved since, largely thanks to new line coach Carmen Bricillo and free-agency arrivals Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor. The latter is the central figure in a potential position switch one reporter believes the Giants “need” to make while Thomas is sidelined.
Position Swap Can Help Giants Cope Without Andrew Thomas
Shifting right tackle Eluemunor to the left side is a must, ahead of starting either Joshua Ezeudu or Evan Neal, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. He thinks one of Neal or Ezeudu should be subbed in on the right, with the latter predicted “to get the first crack at RT (or LT if they keep Eluemunor at RT).”
Not everybody supports Duggan’s idea. Among the doubters, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz outlined the risks of reinstalling Neal as the starting right tackle: “He has not played on offense at all this season. That move would disrupt two positions instead of one.”
There are equal risks to trusting Ezeudu at either tackle spot. Schwartz also noted how “Ezeudu, a 2022 third-round pick, started five games last season and did not make a case that he is the answer at tackle — he was originally drafted as a guard.”
Any move to replace Thomas is a gamble because he’s the best O-lineman on the roster. Unfortunately, No. 78 is having an increasingly hard time staying healthy.
A lengthy layoff would mean Thomas has “missed 18 of 34 games since his All-Pro year” in 2022, according to Schwartz’s colleague Ryan Dunleavy. The Giants suffer without Thomas because fellow top-10 draft pick Neal has struggled mightily since being selected seventh overall two years ago.
Things will remain murky along the offensive side of the trenches, but the picture is brighter on the defensive front after the latest arrival.
Armon Watts Adds Experience, Scheme Knowledge
Watts’ being added to the practice squad was confirmed by Giants.com Senior Managing Editor Dan Salomone. He also reported cornerback Duke Shelley was released to make room for the 28-year-old defensive tackle.
Although he was dumped by the New England Patriots this offseason, Watts has ample starting experience. He was a starter for the Chicago Bears, before playing 15 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023.
Watts was most active and most effective for the Minnesota Vikings from 2019-21. Those years also represent his connection to the Giants.
Patterson was D-line coach in Minnesota when Watts logged five sacks and 46 tackles in 2021. Both are career-best marks.
The 6-foot-5, 307-pounder is an ideal size fit for the Giants’ 3-4 defense. His 8.5 career sacks, 39 pressures and 19 hurries show Watts could be a factor in pass-rush situations.
His chances of getting on the field are strong, and not just because of his scheme familiarity with Patterson. The Giants have some solid options on the depth chart, like D.J. Davidson and Elijah Chatman, an undrafted find, but there’s room for a proven lineman ahead of 2023 seventh-round pick Jordon Riley.
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