New York Giants Facing Major Issues Along Offensive Line
It seems year in and year out the offensive line is a problem for the New York Giants. What used to be a strength when anchored by the likes of Shaun O’Hara, David Diehl, Chris Snee and Kareem McKenzie has become a weak spot in recent seasons. Draft picks not working out has added to the problems, but that looked to be changing in recent seasons with the additions of Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg and Ereck Flowers in the last three years. Now the biggest problem for the Giants along the offensive line is injuries, and the injury bug has come early this season.
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Coming into training camp the Giants were already down the one sure thing on their offensive line. Will Beatty tore his pectoral working out in the spring, and was forced to get surgery. He will be out about half the season, leaving the Giants without their most important piece of the offensive line. As the blind side protector of Eli Manning, Beatty was the only sure thing along the offensive line that looked to finally be coming together for the Giants.
But, it turns out that was just the beginning of the problems for the Giants. With Beatty out, a reconfiguration was needed. During spring practice, first round pick Flowers was given the chance to play left tackle. Injuries are never a positive thing, but when they occur that early in the process the Giants at least have a lot of time to practice and figure things out. But, that clock is ticking now and the Giants are missing out on valuable time to teach and figure things out.
Flowers has joined Beatty on the sidelines in recent days, missing the last three practices because of a hip flexor injury. For a rookie learning a new position, missing any amount of practice reps is cause for concern. Tom Coughlin knows these practices are important, and is concerned with how things have gone thus far.
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“Very difficult. Very tough. You miss time and you really have a difficult time making it up, because there’s all kinds of stuff being thrown at him. The defense has got a sophisticated disguise and pressure package. He would benefit, definitely, from being out here. He had his work in the spring, and there’s no doubt he can pick it up, but it’s not good to miss practice,” said Coughlin.
Flowers is not the only player the Giants have become concerned with in recent days, as Weston Richburg has also been sidelined. The second year player is transitioning back to center, where he played at in college after spending his rookie season at left guard. He is battling tendonitis in his knee, and missing any more time will be troublesome as he needs to build chemistry with Manning under center and learn the audibles and calls at the line.
The injuries are not stopping there, as the Giants are also without last season’s free agent acquisition Geoff Schwartz. Schwartz first season with the Giants was a washout, as he appeared in only two games battling a number of injuries. He is still having trouble with his foot, and has been unable to practice on consecutive days; the only time he did was the first two days of practice.
With that, the Giants are currently missing 80 percent of their starting lineup more often than not at practice. The only healthy player they projected to have in their lineup is Pugh, who was being moved to guard after playing his first two seasons at right tackle. It is still up in the air where he will play, but it really all depends on the health of his teammates.
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With all of the injuries the Giants are dealing with along the offensive line, the first team unit was Pugh at left tackle, Adam Gettis at left guard, Dallas Reynolds at center, John Jerry at right guard and Marshall Newhouse at right tackle. If this is a combination the Giants have to use at any point when games count, they will be in a lot of trouble.
If the Giants were ever going to add a veteran such as Jake Long to add into the mix, now would be the time as they are struggling to even have enough bodies at this point to make it through practice and we’re barely a week into training camp.
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