The New York Giants‘ 2023 season has come to an end, and while a triumphant victory over the Philadelphia Eagles closed the regular season, the front office will now look to the new year to help reinforce a team that desperately needs support at multiple positions.
Notably, their offensive line remains a major question, and the Giants need a solution. They extended left tackle Andrew Thomas on a long-term deal before the 2023 season kicked off, also drafting a new center in the second round. However, there are concerns about both guard spots and right tackle, with Evan Neal suffering an ankle injury that required surgery.
The Giants Need More Offensive Line Support
Injury certainly didn’t do the Giants any favors in the trenches, but the coaching was clearly lackluster at times, showcasing a lack of chemistry and basic fundamentals. The Giants fired offensive line coach Bobby Johnson on Sunday morning, opening up a new search to plug the position.
The team ranked dead last in pass protection with a 41.3 PFF grade and allowed 257 pressures and 45 sacks. This unit was far and away the worst in football, representing a major concern that general manager Joe Schoen needs to fix after already allocating a first-round pick and second-round pick over the past two years to help support it.
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At a certain point, the Giants can’t blame their talent evaluations and need to look to coaching as a primary cause for the demise of the unit.
In addition to the offensive line, the Giants also fired special teams coach Thomas McGaughey, which felt like a long time coming. McGaughey had spent the last six seasons with the Giants, enjoying a solid first four, but the last two seasons were lackluster.
Poor tackling and problems at kick returner reared its ugly head on multiple occasions, but the Giants are keen on finding a new coach that will help build a better unit.
Head coach Brian Daboll also stated that he expects both offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to return, barring any alternate jobs they may consider. If the two want to stay with the Giants, they will have another chance to run things back in 2024, but the situation needs to take a big step forward, or the entire coaching staff may be walking next off-season.