The New York Giants surrendered 85 sacks in 2023, the second-worst number in NFL history. Many of those came through the interior, where the guard-center combination allowed more sacks than the entire five-man units of 20 other teams.
All three of the team’s quarterbacks — Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito — suffered injuries as a result of the porous offensive line.
It was “almost embarrassing,” general manager Joe Schoen says in retrospect. And it made it nearly impossible to get a feel for what Jones was capable of.
“You’re facing a Micah Parsons; we played San Francisco last year on a short week and you’re facing that D-line. Those are real problems,” Schoen told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. “You got to face those guys. The ability to get after the quarterback and protect the quarterback is where it all starts. To get those premium positions, you have to be picking high or pay a premium to go get them as you’re building it.
“It was almost embarrassing the way we played on the offensive line. You can’t run a play. You really can’t get a true feel for Daniel when he’s on his back every play. There’s definitely a concerted effort to upgrade (the trenches).”
Giants fans may not want to hear it, but that’s a reality. And it’s why Schoen spent the early parts of free agency addressing the line, signing the likes of Jermaine Eluemunor, Jon Runyan Jr. and others.
It’s also why Schoen is more open to selecting a non-quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft than many assume. Needs are abundant, and no rookie quarterback is going to fix these problems, assuming he could even survive the beating if the offensive line doesn’t improve drastically.
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