Empire Writes Back
Fansided

4 Big Questions Facing the Giants at the Start of 2024 Season

With the regular season under two weeks away, the New York Giants have a few questions to discern if they want to put forth a competitive year.

By Stephen Lebitsch

Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, left, shakes hands with New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll after the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, left, shakes hands with New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll after the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next

2. Will the Giants starting offensive line stay healthy?

Coming into the season, Joe Schoen finally made it a point of emphasis to boost the Giants' meager offensive line that had been one of the worst units in the NFL for a multi-year stretch. 

Instead of spending money on Saquon Barkley and other low-value positions, the Giants made a run on offensive linemen that could fill starting jobs and improve their success rate in pass blocking which finished 24th last fall.

Along with All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas back in the fold, they brought in Jon Runyan, who finished 17th in the same metric in 2023, Jermaine Eluemenor, and Greg Van Roten to round out what should be an improved unit under new coach Carmel Bricillo. 

With part of the group holding ties to Bricillo from Las Vegas, the starting front is having a nice transition into that style of protection and it’s shown in many of the team’s camp sessions. Yet, behind them, a massive problem is looming with quality depth that could haunt the Giants if injuries dare pile up on them. 

Since the preseason ended, the Giants have already cut two players at the guard and tackle positions in Marcus McKethan and Matt Nelson.

They were both part of a rotation of second and third-stringers that allowed a whopping eight sacks for 47 yards in the preseason finale against the Jets, and that is not a good sign if they couldn’t keep Tommy DeVito upright long enough to get a look at throwing the football. 

The biggest concern must be with the right tackle spot, where former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal is second in line for the spot after starter Jermaine Eluemenor. Neal’s pass blocking has been collapsing since he entered the pro ranks and his ankle injury last fall could be exacerbating his woes.

He played in 460 snaps throughout the 2023 season and was responsible for 29 total pressures and a 38.5 pass blocking grade which was a career-low and didn’t look much improved against the Jets reserves. 

Look at it this way, the Giants' current starting five averaged a 62.5 pass block rating last season for their respective teams. None of the reserves came close to holding their blocks for 2.5 seconds that much in the entire preseason, so both aspects of the protection need to improve under the mentorship of Bricillo or the Giants better pray their starting lineup remains on the field.

Home/New York Giants