JUST-IN: Giants Named NFL’s 3rd-Most Expensive O-Line ; High Price Tag, Low Results, Injuries, Poor Performance, and Questionable Depth $69 million offensive line Spark Big Questions

 


The New York Giants’ offensive line is a constant talking point among fans and media alike — and for good reason. For nearly a decade, the team has been in a seemingly never-ending rebuild up front, with the line often bearing the blame for the team’s offensive struggles. While the issues aren’t always as simple as bad blocking, there’s no denying the line has played a role in the Giants’ inconsistency.

To his credit, GM Joe Schoen has poured significant resources into fixing the problem. High draft picks like Evan Neal, Josh Ezeudu, and John Michael Schmitz have joined a group that includes cornerstone Andrew Thomas and free-agent additions such as Jon Runyan Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, and Greg Van Roten.

According to data from OverTheCap and The 33rd Team, the Giants now have the third-most expensive offensive line in the NFL. No one can say they’re not investing — but are they seeing the return?

Last season’s numbers suggest otherwise. The Giants ranked 26th in pass block win rate and 27th in run block win rate — disappointing for such a highly paid unit. However, when fully healthy, the starting five did show promise:

  • LT: Andrew Thomas
  • LG: Jon Runyan Jr.
  • C: John Michael Schmitz
  • RG: Greg Van Roten
  • RT: Jermaine Eluemunor

During that stretch, the Giants’ pass-block win rate climbed as high as 13th by Week 9, and their ground game averaged 114 rushing yards per game with Tyrone Tracy — a slight improvement even over Saquon Barkley’s 2023 output.

But by season’s end, injuries left the unit unrecognizable:

  • LT: Jermaine Eluemunor
  • LG: Aaron Stinnie
  • C: Greg Van Roten
  • RG: Jake Kubas
  • RT: Tyre Phillips
  • Don't act surprised Giants didn't draft any offensive linemen: Right or  wrong, they tipped their hand a long time ago - nj.com
  • Giants Offensive Line

Looking ahead, four of the five preferred starters are expected to return to their natural spots. The final starting role is up for grabs — with Evan Neal, Joshua Ezeudu, Jake Kubas, and Marcus Mbow all candidates to replace Van Roten.

If healthy, this line should be much better than what we saw down the stretch last year. Andrew Thomas, in particular, remains a bargain at $21M and one of the top left tackles in football. Contracts for Runyan Jr. and Eluemunor are also team-friendly.

But the biggest questions remain: Can this group stay healthy? And can the young linemen like Schmitz and Neal step up in what feel like make-or-break seasons?

So what do you think, Giants fans? Even if this isn’t an elite O-line, will the team finally get the performance they’ve paid for?

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