The New York Giants are on the hunt for a new offensive line coach after relieving Bobby Johnson of his duties earlier this week. Getting this hiring right will be crucial for the Giants as they desperately need to fix their offensive line woes that have been dragging the team down for years. Three coaches stand out as potential candidates to fill the vacancy.
Hiring a Hall of Famer
Atop the Giants’ list should be NFL Hall of Famer Mike Munchak. Not only was Munchak a Hall of Fame player in the NFL, but he also went on to become one of the most well-respected assistant coaches in the NFL.
Munchak was the Oilers/Titans’ offensive line coach for 14 years before being promoted as their head coach from 2011 through 2013. His time in the big chair was ultimately unsuccessful, but Munchak then went back to coaching offensive lines with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2014 to 2018) and the Denver Broncos (2018 to 2021).
The Hall of Famer has coached some of the best offensive lines in the NFL during his coaching career and is considered one of the brightest minds in the sport with regard to his knowledge of the offensive line.
As pristine as Munchak’s resume might be, he has not coached since the 2021 season. Head coach Brian Daboll would need to convince Munchak that he is stepping back into the NFL in the right situation. Munchak is reportedly open to coaching next year, so Daboll should reach out and gauge his interest in living in the New York/New Jersey area soon.
Giants already set to interview Carmen Bricillo
Raiders offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo is a strong contender for the Giants’ vacant position. The G-Men are already set to interview Bricillo as their first official candidate for the position. The interview took place on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Unlike Munchak, Bricillo doesn’t have a well of coaching experience to draw from. He only started coaching in 2019 as an assistant on the New England Patriots’ staff. He then became their co-offensive line coach in 2020 before taking the position over in 2021, then moving to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
Bricillo has coached the Raiders’ offensive line to success over the past two years. The Raiders have allowed 75 sacks in total across the past two seasons (35 in 2022, 40 in 2023), compared to the Giants’ 134 sacks allowed in the past two seasons (49 in 2022, 85 in 2023). Bricillo could be a solid hire for Daboll.
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Dwayne Ledford
The Giants could make a splash by hiring Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford. The Falcons have one of the best offensive lines in football and Ledford has been credited with the development and success of the unit.
Members of the NFL media have suggested Ledford would be the right guy for the Giants to target.
“Giants must get this hire right. I know Dwayne Ledford (Falcons) is very highly respected by O-Linemen and got results developing the talent there,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote on social media.
Offensive line specialist Duke Manyweather also took to social media to state his support for Ledford as a “splash hiring.”
After firing head coach Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons’ coaching staff is up for grabs, making Ledford available for hire. Ledford’s ability to develop young offensive linemen will be a hard selling point for the Giants as they try to figure out what to do with RT Evan Neal as he enters his third season in the NFL.
