Andrew Thomas' injury status might not spell disaster for Giants in Week 1

Thomas has been rehabbing after undergoing foot surgery last October. He missed all of training camp while ramping up behind the scenes to be physically ready to practice. 

Andrew Thomas is still on the road to recovery

The best lineman on the Giants rejoined the team on the practice field on Wednesday, but only participated in one-on-one drills with the offensive line group. Friday was the first time Thomas took snaps with the starting offense in 11-on-11 drills.

Head coach Brian Daboll said that the Giants' staff is following a plan already in place for Thomas' recovery. The team is focusing on ramping him up and then checking in with Thomas the day after a workout or practice to assess his pain management. It's a delicate process, with all signs pointing to ensuring Thomas isn't rushed back onto the field before he's absolutely ready.

"My biggest concern is the risk of re-injury," Thomas told reporters on Friday. "That's something I've been talking to the trainers and doctors about just to make sure that when I'm out there, I'm ready to go."

Since entering the league in 2020, Thomas has repeatedly dealt with injuries and hasn't played a full season since his rookie year. That trend is concerning for a player whose contract the team just restructured to run through 2029. However, caution is still the appropriate approach.

Even with the game against the Washington Commanders being a must-win for the Giants, losing Thomas for even longer this season would be a bigger disaster than whatever the scoreboard says after four quarters.

The impact of Andrew Thomas' potential absence 

If Thomas is indeed ruled out for Sunday, new quarterback Russell Wilson will likely face more pressure from his blindside than he might have expected when he signed his one-year contract with the team in March.

Thomas is the kind of player coaches can leave on an island when scheming up offensive plays. They usually don't have to factor in sending extra protection Thomas' way on pass plays, as he can handle the opposing team's best pass rushers. Without Thomas anchoring the left side, though, the Giants will have to alter their game plan and reduce route runners in favor of more blockers.

Still, if the Giants are truly a team on the upswing, then one player missing, hopefully, just one week, shouldn't derail them. In fact, the Giants' larger problem has been the unit as a whole. 

Since 2020, the Giants' O-line has allowed a pressure rate of 49.1% in games Thomas played in. When Thomas didn't play, however, that pressure rate was 48.6%, according to Stats Perform. There's only so much a single left tackle can do if the rest of the unit doesn't perform.

For Wilson, this will also be an opportunity to demonstrate if his veteran command of the offense can elevate the team compared with ex-Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Quarterbacks can often relieve pressure by getting the ball out on time and keeping the offense in a good rhythm — two aspects of football the Giants have lacked in as the second-to-worst offense in gaining yards last season.

On Sunday, Thomas' status will create headaches for Big Blue, but it also presents an opportunity to prove they're a more resilient unit than last year's team.