Either Josh Ezeudu or Evan Neal would get the call
Head coach Brian Daboll did not have an update Monday on the status of star left tackle Andrew Thomas, who hobbled his way through the end of Sunday night’s 17-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and was set to undergo an MRI on his foot on Monday.
In the locker room after the game Thomas said his foot was “not great.”
By his standards, Thomas had a sub-par game on Sunday. He allowed two sacks and three pressures, posting a pass-blocking efficiency score of 94.8, per Pro Football Focus.
Thomas did not elaborate on whether the foot injury was something that occurred during the game against Cincinnati, or something that he has been dealing with. Thomas, though, is not having a great season.
Thomas has surrendered four sacks, matching his full-season total when he was a second-team All-Pro in 2022, and 16 pressures in six games. His 95.9 pass-blocking efficiency rating is his worst since his 2020 rookie season.
Thomas dealt with hamstring and knee injuries last season, when he played in just six games.
Even at less than 100%, Thomas is the Giants best offensive lineman. What happens if the news the Giants get between now and Wednesday isn’t good and the Giants have to replace Thomas in the lineup? Thus far, the Giants’ offensive line has been together for every snap this season.
What might it look like without Thomas? There are two options.
Josh Ezeudu at left tackle
I can see Giants fans screaming “Noooooooo” at the mention of this possibility.
This is what the Giants did last season after Thomas suffered a Week 1 hamstring injury that knocked him out of the lineup for seven games. Ezeudu played six games at left tackle, starting five.
The results were disastrous.
Ezeudu posted a 42.4 overall PFF grade, 130th out of 137 offensive tackles grades. His 39.3 grade as a pass blocker was 121st. Ezeudu’s 95.0 pass-blocking efficiency rating was 88th.
To be fair to Ezeudu, he was put in that situation after practicing exclusively at guard all spring and summer while competing with Ben Bredeson and Mark Glowinski for a starting role.
If he has to step in for Thomas, Ezeudu should at least be better prepared this time. He has practice at both left and right tackle since OTAs.
When I chatted with him during training camp, Ezeudu said playing tackle is “very different from playing guard.”
“You have to process things a bit differently,” Ezeudu said. “You have to use your hands too, a bit different.”
Whether Ezeudu, primarily a guard in college at North Carolina, can be successful at tackle is debatable. He should, though, have a better chance if he has to step in this year.
Ezeudu has played only three offensive snaps so far this season.
Evan Neal at RT, Jermaine Eluemunor at LT
If the Giants decide they want to get Neal, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, on the field instead of Ezeudu this is the alignment they will have to use.
The Giants, for reasons they have not fully explained and have answered vaguely when asked on numerous occasions, have only had Neal practice at right tackle since he returned this summer from offseason ankle surgery. That despite Daboll saying he wants his backup offensive lineman to have positional flexibility.
I spoke to Neal earlier this month, and he indicated that he felt like he was in a good place both physically and emotionally.
“I’ve just been showing up to work every day with a positive attitude. And just working hard,” Neal said. “Just trying to get better every day. Learning from the guys I’m out there watching. Going up against the first-team defense. Doing everything that I can just to get better.”
As for the ankle, Neal said “I’m moving around well.”
Eluemunor has 422 career snaps at left tackle, including 125 last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
