Giants Free Agency 2026: Could Braden Smith be their fallback plan at right tackle?

The New York Giants want Jermaine Eluemunor back. That part isn’t complicated. What’s complicated is the business of actually getting it done in a free agent market that doesn’t wait for anyone—and a 31-year-old coming off a career-best season who knows exactly what he’s worth.

The smart move? Don’t just hope Eluemunor comes back. Have a Plan B already mapped out. And that Plan B has a name: Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith.

Giants Could Target Braden Smith as Jermaine Eluemunor Insurance

Smith is a legitimate, proven starter who has anchored the right side of the Colts’ offensive line for eight consecutive seasons—the only NFL team he’s ever known. ESPN describes Smith as a “big-bodied drive blocker at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, easily matching power in pass protection,” and CBS Sports ranks him as the second-best tackle in this free agent class.

He has, however, struggled with injuries over the last few years. Smith has missed 23 games over the last five seasons due to a multitude of injuries, including a concussion that landed him on season-ending injured reserve in December. That’s not a footnote—it’s a legitimate concern for a team trying to protect a franchise quarterback in his second NFL season. The durability question is the one thing that separates Smith from being a slam-dunk option rather than just a very good one.

Nevertheless, at 30 years old, Smith is nearly two years younger than Eluemunor. And the production profile is remarkably comparable. His 72.0 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets over the past three seasons places him among the top 25 qualifying tackles, and he ranks sixth in sack percentage, having allowed just five sacks across 1,151 pass sets.

That’s elite-level pass protection efficiency. The kind that keeps a young quarterback like Jaxson Dart upright and developing.

The Fallback That Isn’t Really a Fallback

Braden Smith shouldn’t be framed as a consolation prize. That framing undersells him. The Giants have two legitimate starting right tackles potentially available this offseason, and the preferred option, Eluemunor, is showing signs of returning at a manageable price. That’s an enviable position.

If Eluemunor comes home, great. The continuity and Harbaugh familiarity are real, and the 98.0 pass-blocking efficiency is real. But if he doesn’t, Smith gives the Giants a 30-year-old Pro Bowl-caliber blocker who ranked among the top-25 tackles in pass protection over the last three years.

The Giants don’t have to panic. They have options to consider at right tackle if Eluemunor walks, and Smith is more than capable of being penciled down as a starter in 2026 — especially with promising 2025 fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow entering the second season of his career.

What’s the Price Point?

Spotrac projects Smith’s next deal at three years, $40.6 million—roughly $13.5 million per year. Eluemunor’s projected range of $8.7 to $12 million annually between Spotrac and PFF might be more affordable on paper, but there is plenty of speculation suggesting the market demand will increase his price tag. He has been compared to Taylor Moton, who signed a two-year, $44 million contract last offseason.

But even if Smith costs slightly more, the Giants would be paying up for a player who is younger, has a longer track record of starting, and comes with legitimate top-25 tackle credentials. That’s not necessarily overpaying.

The Giants are projected to have limited 2026 cap space, but their 2027 outlook is significantly stronger. A back-loaded structure on a Smith deal—something Joe Schoen has historically tried to avoid but may need to reconsider—could make the math work without sacrificing the rest of the roster.

Ideally, the Giants will maintain their continuity at right tackle and find a way to get Eluemunor under contract. But, if they are unsuccessful, Braden Smith is an excellent backup plan who would be able to start right away on a long-term deal at right tackle.