Noah Brown Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Two sneaky-good free agents for the New York Giants in 2024

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 3/9/24

New York Giants fans would love to welcome a big name free agent to the city but a pair of smaller deals for lesser-known players could be key to the team’s success in 2024. Here are two under-the-radar options who the the team should consider signing.

OG Jon Runyan

Before heading to New York to become the NFL's Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, John Runyan Sr. spent 14 years as an offensive tackle, going 12 years without missing a start from 1997-2008. So it should come as no surprise that his son has yet to miss a game in four years as a lineman with the Green Bay Packers.

As last season wore on, though, Runyan did start splitting time with Sean Rhyan, a third-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, so the chances of him returning to Green Bay aren’t good. The younger Ryan may not be the player his father was, but he comes with three year’s experience as a starter and can play either side of the offensive line.

Michigan's OL Jon Runyan Jr. drafted by the Packers at Pick No. 192.

His father is Jon Sr. who played for the #Eagles from 2000-2008. pic.twitter.com/LA5rU0iaYt
— Allie Berube (@allieberube) April 25, 2020

While Pro Football Focus ranks Runyan as this year’s seventh-best free-agent guard, at 26 years old, he still has room to grow. He would be an instant upgrade for a Giants team that allowed a league-high 85 sacks in 2023. With a projected market value of $6.67M per year, the team could sign Runyan and still afford to address other positions.

WR Noah Brown

Wide receiver Darius Slayton led the Giants with 770 yards last season, 203 more than Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown posted in seven seven games while averaging 17.2 yards per reception as the Texans' No. 3 receiver.

Brown came to Houston after spending five years buried on the Dallas Cowboys’ depth chart. Coming off back-to-back 500 yard seasons, the 28-year-old receiver has earned more targets, but with players like Nico Collins and Tank Dell on the roster, he’ll need to find another team.

CJ STROUD TO NOAH BROWN 75-YARD TOUCHDOWN.

: #TBvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/d4RDZpcMkc pic.twitter.com/Z6Ng2Ck8Ov
— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2023

After finishing 2023 with the NFL’s second-worst passing offense, the Giants could use a big-play threat like Brown who can also get open when plays break down. Given the state of the team's offensive line, the soon-to-be-former Texan could see plenty of looks in New York.

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