Time will tell if Gettleman 'fixed' O-line
The pursuit of the goal, oft-stated by general manager Dave Gettleman, reached a fever pitch after the Giants took offensive linemen with three of their first five picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. This, Gettleman said, hopefully solved the problems in this area “once and for all.’’ That remains to be seen, of course, but the Giants do seem to be on the right track here.
Did they get it right? How that question is answered will go a long way in determining how the Giants fare this season. Merely adding players early in the draft assures nothing. Take a look at the most recent rebuild, featuring Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg and Ereck Flowers, all selected in the first two rounds not long ago. These were supposed to be building blocks at tackle and center for a decade. They were not and these swings and misses (Pugh was a solid player, although much better suited at guard than tackle) set the Giants back for years.
Simply taking Andrew Thomas out of Georgia with the No. 4-overall pick does not instantly mean a starting tackle is secured. This is not paint-by-numbers, where all the Giants have to do is color in the boundaries and a beautiful piece of artwork is created. Of all the toprated college tackles, Thomas harbors the least risk and he should instantly be ready for a starting assignment. It makes sense to begin his NFL career at right tackle, rather than usurping Nate Solder to move the veteran over to the right side to accommodate Thomas at left tackle.
It would have cost $13 million in dead money to parts ways with the towering Solder, who battled through some physical issues and did not have a strong 2019 season. He needs to be better and the Giants believe he will be. The guard spots are set, with Will Hernandez on the left side and Kevin Zeitler on the right side. Hernandez is a bulldozer, but he did not make the anticipated progress last season and so he needs to pick up the pace.
The vulnerable spot is center. Spencer Pulley is a proven player — 26 NFL starts, including nine for the Giants in 2018 — and is serviceable, better at the second level than he is as a power people mover at the line of scrimmage. If the other four spots on the line are manned properly, the Giants can get by with Pulley, as there is a need for an experienced center to work with secondyear quarterback Daniel Jones.
For the first time in years, it looks as if the Giants have some depth here. Cam Fleming was signed as a swing tackle capable of backing up on either side. Nick Gates, undrafted in 2018, impressed the previous coaching regime as a possible right tackle but he is probably better-served inside, at guard. He is also a dark-horse candidate to compete at center. The Giants in the third round of the draft took long-armed Matt Peart from UConn as a developmental tackle and in the fifth round took Shane Lemieux from Oregon as a mauler guard. Lemieux will cross-train at center, but it is likely too much to ask that he progresses quickly enough to become a contender at that spot as a rookie.
When Gettleman talks about “hog mollies,’’ he is mostly referring to offensive linemen. New head coach Joe Judge during his time with the Patriots grew accustomed to solid protection and blocking for Tom Brady. The decline of the Giants can be pinned on many foibles and failings and the deterioration of the offensive line is at or near the top of the list.
“Joe and I are of the same mentality that really and truly, the offensive line sets the tone for the team,’’ Gettleman said. “It really does. I think of all the teams that I’ve been with that have gone to Super Bowls, the offensive lines were the tone-setters. You think of the offensive lines in 2007 and 2011 when we beat the Patriots, those groups set the tone. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure we replicate that.”