The New York Giants were one of the few NFL teams that opted not to select an offensive lineman in the recent draft. This decision was largely influenced by their history of investing heavily in this area over the past five years despite continuing to struggle with one of the worst pass-blocking units in the league.
Instead of using draft capital to address this issue, general manager Joe Schoen chose to allocate funds towards free agency to bolster the line with players who could make an immediate impact.
Giants’ Strategic Avoidance of Drafting Offensive Linemen
One significant acquisition is Jon Runyan, a former guard for the Green Bay Packers. At 26 years old, Runyan is noted for his durability, having played over 1,000 snaps in each of the past three seasons. Last season, he allowed 22 pressures over 1,009 offensive snaps, all while positioned at right guard.
Runyan’s Role and Potential Impact
The Giants plan to transition Runyan back to left guard, a position he prefers and where he started the first six games of the 2022 season. During that period, Runyan gave up just four pressures and one sack. Notably, he did not allow a single pressure in the first five games, earning elite blocking grades. This performance showcases his potential to significantly enhance the Giants’ pass protection.
Pairing Runyan with Andrew Thomas on the left side should provide a formidable barrier in front of Daniel Jones or whoever may be quarterbacking the Giants in the future.
Runyan’s three-year, $30 million contract, which includes $17 million guaranteed, represents what could be a tremendous value for the Giants, especially compared to the costs associated with top free agents.
Furthermore, the Giants also brought in Jermaine Eluemunor, who is expected to compete with Evan Neal for the starting right tackle position. Given his familiarity with Coach Carmen Bricillo’s scheme and his recent performance, Eluemunor is well-positioned to claim the starting role.
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