New York Giants Offseason: Reviewing the Offensive Tackle Position

2017 Depth Chart

Ereck Flowers – 15 starts at LT, 6.5 sacks allowed, 6 penalties (signed through 2018)

Bobby Hart – 7 starts at RT, 6 sacks allowed, 4 penalties (waived and signed w/ CIN)

Chad Wheeler – 4 starts at RT, 1 start at LT, 3 sacks allowed (signed through 2019)

Adam Bisnowaty – 1 start at RT, 2 sacks allowed, 2 penalties (signed through 2018)

*Justin Pugh is considered a guard and will be talked about tomorrow.

2017 Review

2017 was another season in which the New York Giants offensive tackles struggled to protect Eli Manning.

Ereck Flowers made some strides. He decreased the number of penalties he committed but gave up a career-high 6.5 sacks.

There were moments during the 2017 season that Flowers looked like he could survive at left tackle for Big Blue. Week 17, however, may have put an end to those hopes.

Flowers reportedly “checked out” prior to the season finale and was benched due to attitude concerns. If the Giants didn’t have so much invested in Flowers, he may have been cut before the 2017 season ended. Flowers has now put up three consecutive disappointing seasons to start his career after being the ninth overall pick in 2015.

Bobby Hart also “checked out” heading into Week 17 last season. With much less invested in the former seventh-round pick, Hart was released when Dave Gettleman took over as general manager and started cleaning house.

Prior to getting cut, Hart was having a very disappointing season. After calling himself the best right tackle in the league, Hart gave up six sacks in seven starts. He missed time with an ankle injury and eventually lost his job to D.J. Fluker after the Giants shuffled around their offensive line.

Hart regained his spot in the starting lineup late in the season when injuries didn’t leave Big Blue with many choices until he was cut before the season finale.

Injuries gave Chad Wheeler a chance to start in the second half of the season. He made four starts at right tackle and got the start at left tackle in Week 17 when Flowers was benched.

Wheeler struggled a bit in his first taste of NFL action, but as an undrafted free agent, he showed some potential for a future in the league. Wheeler had problems blocking Ryan Kerrigan but that is the case for a lot of right tackles in the NFL.

Although giving up three sacks in five starts isn’t great, Wheeler got more action than most people thought heading into 2017. Hopefully, that experience will benefit him moving forward.

After the Giants traded up in the sixth round to draft Adam Bisnowaty, he failed to make the team after the preseason and spent the majority of the season on the practice squad.

Bisnowaty was promoted to the active roster after Hart was released and started at right tackle in Week 17. Ryan Kerrigan once again terrorized a Giants backup right tackle, as Bisnowaty gave up two sacks and committed two holding penalties.

Being that drafting Bisnowaty was the only offensive line-related move Jerry Reese made last offseason, fans had hoped for more. However, considering he was a sixth-round pick, Bisnowaty can’t really be considered a disappointment. If he improves, he could have an NFL career as a reserve offensive tackle.