In 2024, the Giants' first experience without Andrew Thomas turned out pretty much as expected for a group that lost its mainstay on the offensive line.
And that can lead to further experiments.
Joshua Ezeudu started and played 58 snaps at left tackle for the first time this season, but allowed two sacks and three pressures.
The team's batting line allowed eight sacks in a 28-3 loss to the Eagles.
And as the Giants look for some answers, momentum, and consistency to salvage their sluggish season, head coach Brian Daboll announced in a press conference Monday that he will start Ezeudu in place of Thomas for the second straight week. I didn't promise anything.
“We'll have that discussion here,” Daboll said. “We watched the tape, and we're not there yet. Early on, there was a couple of plays in the jam and one more play, but I thought it could have been better. I think he settled in.
“It was his first time playing, so there were some things he got better at as the game went on and made some improvements, so we'll see where we are here. .”
Even if Thomas' five-year contract extension in July 2023 doesn't explain his importance to the Giants, they did get a glimpse of what could have been without Thomas last season. That's when Daboll reshuffled the line after Thomas missed Weeks 2 through 8 with a hamstring injury. .
Ezeudu started five of those games before being injured.
Justin Pugh was signed off the couch and given the starting spot for the other two players, but once Thomas returned he returned to left guard for nearly every snap for the rest of the season.
With Ezeudu still being Thomas' backup, the Giants turned to the third-year lineman when Thomas' 2024 season ended after last week's foot surgery.
But early in the first quarter Sunday, Josh Sweat broke through the left side of the line, winning a matchup with Ezeudu and dropping Daniel Jones, forcing an early punt.
Then, later in the quarter, Nolan Smith Jr. pushed Ezeudu back until he got to Jones and dragged him to the ground.
“It was a bad start,” Ezeudu told reporters after the match. he was thinking too much. Self-doubt. He knew he needed to be better and that he could be better.
But former Patriots coach and current NFL analyst Bill Belichick appeared on Monday's “Pat McAfee Show” and said the Giants were “playing a player at left tackle who shouldn't be at left tackle. ” he said.
However, replacing Ezeudu could be complicated.
The Giants have the option of a player who has previously played left tackle.
Jermaine Elemunah, who played all 474 snaps at right tackle in 2024 and said last week that he wants to remain at that position, started two games for the Raiders last year and one game in 2022 at left tackle, and has played all 474 snaps at right tackle for the Raiders since then. Throughout his career, according to Pro Football Focus, he also made a cameo appearance.
Chris Hubbard, who was signed off the 49ers' practice squad following Thomas' injury, played exclusively at right tackle last season but has played left wing during his 11-year NFL career.
And Evan Neal, a former first-round pick in 2022 who was expected to be the Giants' future right tackle, didn't see the field all season.
“I just wanted to go with the players we have,” Daboll said when asked why he didn't play Neal in the final minutes of Sunday's game after bringing on other substitutes. Ta.
Other linemen with past NFL experience on the Giants' 53-man roster, Greg Van Roten, Jon Runyan, and Aaron Stinney, have not played in their careers other than a random snap or two at tackle. He has almost exclusively served as a guard, and is unlikely to serve as a guard in the future. option.
But unlike last year, the Giants won't be getting Thomas back during the season.
You can't just wait until your franchise tackle returns to make up the difference.
They need to find a solution to keep Jones upright in the pocket and protect his blindside, but at least judging by Daboll's reaction Monday, they may need to shuffle further.
“We had one guy that wasn't in yet,” Daboll said of the offensive line. “I think the communication process was good. [The Eagles] We couldn't do much defensively, but we weren't just one or two people in terms of technique and things like that. It was kind of spread out and everyone was participating in it. There were some good things too.
“Again, at the end of the day, our job is to score points and we have to work to keep doing that.”
