Is There a Spot for IOL Austin Schlottmann on NY Giants?

The New York Giants brought in former Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos center Austin Schlottmann to be the backup. It was a part of their efforts to create more quality depth on the team, and the 6-foot-6 offensive guard convert seemed to be a good find. 

The Broncos signed Schlottmann as an undrafted free agent back in 2019. In his first season, he appeared in 16 games at guard and made four starts. 

In 2020, he once again answered the call, starting in all 16 games, including two as the starter. In 2021, his final season with the Broncos, he appeared in a career-low 10 games and has only made a career-low one start. The next season, he signed with the Vikings.

He was brought in by the Vikings in 2022 and duplicated his rookie season. He appeared in all 16 games while getting the start in four games. 

The next season, he only appeared in nine games but still managed three starts. He proved that he can do the job and perform decently when his number is called.

Austin Schlottmann, C

Height: 6-6
Weight: 300 lbs.
Exp: 7
School: TCU
How Acquired: FA-'24

2024 in Review

The 2024 preseason was extremely active for Schlottmann. He signed with the team in March with the expectation of being the backup to John Michael Schmitz at center. In July, the team signed Greg Van Roten as a super sub on the interior, with his former Raiders teammate Jermaine Eluemunor moving from guard to right tackle. 

Then he revived some heavy competition from Jimmy Morrissey, who was listed on the depth chart as the second center as late as the final preseason game. Schlottmann ultimately won the job and earned his spot on the roster. 

Unfortunately for Schlottmann, he suffered a broken leg early in the year, which landed him on IR. He was not activated until the final week of the season but was limited to special teams. 

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NY Giants Contract/Cap Info

In 2024, Austin Schlottmann signed a two-year, $2.795 million contract with the New York Giants that included a $500,000 signing bonus. He carries a $1.42 million cap hit this year. If he is not made to the roster, the Giants would save $1.17 million and incur a $250,000 dead money charge.

2025 Preview

The 2024 training camp was a fight for Schlottmann to make the 53-man roster, and 2025 should prove to be even more difficult. 

Not only will Jimmy Morrissey be on his heels for the backup center job, but the depth and versatility on the inside mean that he will have to be impressive enough to stay over other players who may provide the team with more legitimate options on Sundays. That should prove to be a challenging task. 

Could Schlottmann possibly play guard? Of course. Have we seen him playing there? Not really, and with the presence of Evan Neal at guard, there are even fewer reps than before, with Aaron Stinnie and Jake Kubas also competing. 

The Giants only used Schlottmann three times on special teams, so that does not seem to be his permanent entry. Greg Van Roten also plays center and was called into action last year when John Michael Schmitz was injured, so if Neal becomes the starting guard, look for Van Roten to be the first option at center. It may mean that a roster spot for Schlottmann is a long shot.

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