New York Giants: 5 scenarios to fix the offensive line in one offseason
By Sean Dyer
Scenario 2: Spend big at tackle in FA, draft offensive lineman at No. 2
Everyone assumes the New York Giants will throw all of their money at Andrew Norwell, but their biggest need is at offensive tackle. Instead of signing Norwell, Big Blue could use their cap space to bring in Nate Solder.
The top free agent offensive tackle, Solder will be a bit pricier than Norwell but well worth it if he can protect Eli Manning’s blindside. Solder has kept Tom Brady upright for the past seven seasons and is two-time Super Bowl champion.
The Giants can build a dominant left side of the line by drafting Quenton Nelson with the second overall pick. No. 2 overall may seem high for a guard but Nelson is the best offensive lineman in this year’s class and a top-five player overall.
You’ll see a theme here when it comes to the center position. As a restricted free agent, Brett Jones is almost guaranteed to be re-signed by the Giants.
Even after spending a little extra to sign Solder, New York should have enough money to re-sign D.J. Fluker as well.
In this scenario, Big Blue has used significant cap space and draft capital on the offensive line so they finish it off by moving Ereck Flowers over to right tackle. Flowers’s terrible technique won’t improve much on the right side but his $4.5M cap hit is completely guaranteed so the Giants should see what they can get out of him. Hopefully, the mini change of scenery will help unlock whatever potential Jerry Reese saw when he drafted Flowers ninth overall in 2015.
LT Nate Solder
LG Quenton Nelson
C Brett Jones
RG D.J. Fluker
RT Ereck Flowers