If one thing has become apparent in 2016, it’s the New York Giants must find a way to fix their offensive line next season.
It’s been a rough year for the New York Giants offense and much of those problems have stemmed from a struggling offensive line.Though the season hasn’t been devoid of any bright spots along the line, they’ve come few and far between. While starting guard Justin Pugh has been solid and backup Brett Jones did a good job in limited action, injuries have hampered both players. These key injuries, along with a lack of premiere talent, have pulled the unit’s production way down.
A poor push in the running game has lead to a second to last league rank in terms of rushing yardage. Center Weston Richburg hasn’t aided the matter considerably in this department. Coming off a season in which he was one of the biggest Pro Bowl snubs of the year, Richburg has lacked consistency in 2016.
Meanwhile, first-round pick Ereck Flowers has disappointed many who expected the sophomore to take a step forward in his development following a shaky rookie campaign. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), after allowing 69 total quarterback disruptions (the most among NFL tackles) in 2015, this season Flowers has ranked second to last among tackles in the category with 48 through Week 13. This has all contributed to New York’s line becoming a clear concern heading into the home stretch of a heated postseason race.
While the unit has held up well on occasion, when matched up against some of the upper-echelon defensive fronts in the NFL, it has failed to meet those challenges. If the Giants want to make the leap from a good team to a great one that will begin by adding more talent to their line. General manager Jerry Reese must look at all options to do this during the 2017 offseason.
We begin with a veteran option who’s made his money with the Begals:
