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Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Giants LT Andrew Thomas Earns Surprising Ranking in New 'Protector of the Year' List

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated May 29, 2025 1:00 PM ET

It's hard not to argue that the job of an offensive lineman, especially one tasked with shoring up the quarterback's blindside, is one of the most challenging responsibilities to master in all of sports.

Very few offensive tackles exemplify that these days better than New York Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas, who has risen to be one of the dominant cornerstone linemen in the league when healthy.

The proof is in the pudding of how much better the Giants offense operates when Thomas is present, as the quarterback is awarded more time and clean space in the pocket to thread the football downfield and create more explosive plays.

We saw it last season when former gunslinger Daniel Jones was playing decently behind a full, upgraded front and taking less than three sacks in the first several weeks of the calendar. When Thomas then went down with a season-ending foot injury, suddenly, the numbers got ratcheted up in the opponent’s favor.

A lack of a strong left blindside was one of the issues that marred the late end of Jones’ tenure in East Rutherford and the arms that followed him when the pressure cracked down on the Giants pocket.

And yet, despite Thomas’s value, in a new ranking by Pro Football Network, he’s not held in as strong a light when it comes to placing him amongst the top most unbeatable offensive linemen eligible for a brand new positional award.

Based on the analysis that ranked Thomas as the 16th highest contender in the NFL for the league’s inaugural Protector of the Year award, it all comes down to those injury woes that the 26-year-old just hasn’t been able to overcome.

"The New York Giants have a star left tackle in place with Thomas, but the problem for him has been staying healthy. He has missed 18 games in each of the last two years, but when he can stay on the field, he's been a reliable stalwart for the Giants' offense," the analysis said.

The ailments Thomas has sustained in the last two seasons certainly are concerning when it comes to the Giants having a stable offensive line for an entire campaign.

It is one of the big keys for a prosperous offensive lineman to be durable in terms of remaining on the gridiron, and Thomas’ presence, when he does play, brings a great equalizer to the team’s five starters.

It still seems a little unreasonable to place him down in the middle of a party of 32 players when one considers the solid resume he has still put forth in limited action.

Despite playing in less than 400 snaps since the start of the 2023 season, Thomas has remained New York’s highest-graded pass blocker in that span, scoring no less than a 71.8 rating according to PFF metrics from the position group.

Thomas dealt with an ankle injury sustained in the 2023 season opener against Dallas that forced him to sit on the sidelines for seven games, while Joshua Ezeudu assumed his place with very miserable results.

After coming back in Week 9, the veteran left tackle bounced back like he never left and recorded an 80.2 pass-blocking grade by allowing only four sacks and 14 total pressures.

Just last season, the lower body ailment developed into a Lisfranc injury that Thomas suffered in Week 6 against the Cincinnati Bengals, ultimately cutting his season short due to the need for a season-ending procedure to repair it. He was absent for the final 11 games of the Giants’ dismal 3-14 run but again managed to sit on the throne with a 71.8 grade and the same pressure numbers as the year before.

Broadening that scope to the entire league, Thomas kept himself in the discussion of some of the greatest offensive tackles in the game. He ranked No. 12 in the position in 2023 and hung around the bottom of the top 50 players at the end of the 2024 schedule.

A few of the names that made it above Thomas on the list, such as Zach Tom of the Packers and Charles Cross of the Seahawks, might have scored better grades due to their increased availability, but even with their good health allowed more pressures on their end of the line than what Thomas has limited his opponents in his recent action.

Again, it is easy to understand how the factor of missing games due to injury can misconstrue one’s total resume with an NFL franchise, and that is something Thomas has to get figured out this season if he wants to live up to the mighty five-year, $117.5 million extension he signed with the Giants back in the 2023 offseason.

That said, if he is capable of protecting his lower body and builds a full 17-game slate for the first time since his third season in the league, one could easily make a case that Thomas will outshine his recent pass-blocking efficiency and sit among the top five candidates for the Protector of the Year award when it’s all said and done.

For the Giants, who are looking to boast an improved offense next fall, they are desperately awaiting the return of their stalwart offensive tackle, who can shut down the biggest threats time and time again and hold the rest of the line together to best compete.

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