The New York Giants are heading into the 2021 season with major questions on the offensive line. Despite general manager Dave Gettleman spending a monstrous amount of draft capital during the 2020 off-season, the line is still in shambles.
However, don’t expect the evolution of the line to stop just because the preseason is over, the Giants will likely use the beginning portions of the regular season to test different combinations in hopes of finding an adequate unit.
Three offensive line combinations the New York Giants could test:
1.) The Shane Lemieux experiment
LT: Andrew Thomas
LG: Shane Lemieux
C: Nick Gates
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Matt Peart
Oregon product Shane Lemieux was expected to be the starter at the beginning of the regular season, but after suffering a knee injury early in camp, he missed the majority of joint practices and real game experience. Lemieux was diagnosed with a partially torn patellar tendon, but he is fighting through and hopes to be a part of the team’s game plan in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. Starting an injured player could have its downfalls, and this experiment must have a backup plan, especially if the Giants elect to give him the first crack.
2.) The Price is right?
LT: Andrew Thomas
LG: Nick Gates
C: Billy Price
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Matt Peart
The Giants traded interior defensive lineman BJ Hill and a conditional seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for versatile lineman, Billy Price. Price has been coined a bust up to this point in his career, but he is a serviceable center despite the Bengals moving him around the interior of the line to play both guard spots the past two seasons.
In this scenario, the Giants move Nick Gates over to left guard, allowing Price to start at center. Gates is capable of playing almost every position on the line, and with Will Hernandez making the move to right guard, Gates takes over on the left side next to Andrew Thomas, where they could have plenty of success.
This is a combination the Giants haven’t tested yet, but one that is undoubtedly intriguing based on Gates’s efficiency at multiple positions.
3.) Whole Wheat Bredeson
LT: Andrew Thomas
LG: Ben Bredeson
C: Nick Gates
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Matt Peart
The Giants recently acquired former Baltimore Ravens fourth-round pick Ben Bredeson, a 2022 5th round pick and 2023 7th round pick in exchange for a 4th round selection next season.
Bredeson had a fantastic preseason with Baltimore this year, allowing just two hurries and two pressures over 182 total snaps at right guard. He is capable of playing on the left side, where he featured with Michigan back in 2019. At just 23 years old, he has plenty of untapped potential and was simply buried on the depth chart behind former Giant, Kevin Zeitler.
Bredeson is a solid run-blocking lineman, but also shined as a pass blocker this preseason. He hasn’t had any regular-season experience as a true lineman, rather featuring as an in-line tight end in jumbo packages with the Ravens last year. Ideally, the Giants will start someone with a bit of experience, but they are optimistic Bredeson can feature as the starting LG if need be.
Which combination would you prefer for the Giants come Week 1? Comment below!