The New York Giants have a lot of areas on their roster that need to be evaluated and upgraded during the 2024 NFL offseason. While there has been a lot of discussion about the quarterback position and the future of Daniel Jones, their biggest need is along the offensive line.
New York was near the bottom of virtually every offensive line statistic there is during the 2023 season. Constantly having to shuffle the lineup because of injuries or ineffective play certainly didn’t help, but the team has already made some changes.
Carmen Bricillo is taking over as offensive line coach, hired away from the Las Vegas Raiders to replace Bobby Johnson. Bricillo has his work cut out for him taking over a unit that allowed 85 sacks last season, but there is something to work with.
New York has first-round picks on the perimeter in star left tackle Andrew Thomas and right tackle Evan Neal. A second-round pick was used on center John Micahel Schmitz in the 2023 NFL Draft, providing Bricillo with some high-upside pieces as the foundation.
However, the guard spots could certainly use an upgrade. That is why it should be no surprise that the Giants are linked to interior offensive linemen in free agency. Brad Spielberger of PFF has suggested New York as a potential landing spot for Kevin Dotson, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams.
Dotson had by far the best season of his career in Los Angeles in 2023 after three middling seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would present a massive upgrade at right guard as a steady pass blocker with elite run-blocking numbers in his career.
If the Giants want to upgrade at left guard instead of right or bring in free agents to play both spots, another player to keep an eye on is Dalton Risner. Risner got a late start to the 2023 season, latching on with the Minnesota Vikings early in the regular season.
That didn’t stop him from producing, as Risner put together another strong pass-blocking season. He has been a solid pass blocker for his entire five-year career, potentially providing the Giants with something they have been lacking on the interior of their offensive line.
Adding two veterans of that caliber would be a good move for the Giants, who need all the help they can get along the offensive line. If Bricillo can carry over the success he had in Las Vegas to New York, this is a unit that can turn things around instantly in 2024.
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