The talk of the town is constantly revolving around the New York Giants‘ offensive line and their disappointing pass-protection efficiency.
For the better part of a decade, the Giants have had a bottom-of-the-barrel protection unit, and that hasn’t changed in 2023, despite a big investment in Andrew Thomas and drafting Evan Neal with the 8th overall selection in 2022.
Neal has already suffered injuries to both ankles and has missed multiple games this season. He’s played 460 snaps, giving up 30 pressures and two sacks, posting some of the worst pass-blocking grades in football. However, his supplement has stepped up to the plate and offered decent contributions, warranting an extension for the 2024 season.
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The Giants Should Keep Tyre Phillips Around
In fact, the Giants had let Tyre Phillips go during roster cuts, subsequently landing with the Philadelphia Eagles and their dominant unit. Phillips must’ve learned a thing or two because he returned a much-improved player who has put together a solid season across 321 snaps. He’s allowed only 15 pressures and two sacks in that time span, both of which came against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10.
Over his last two games, Phillips has given up just four pressures over 107 snaps, including 70 pass-blocking reps. While he’s not much of a run-blocker, he is solid in pass protection and has helped the Giants generate some offensive momentum. However, the team has still struggled due to turnover at the quarterback position and a weaker interior offensive line. On the year, the Giants have the worst-ranked unit with a 40.3 PFF grade, including 197 pressures allowed and 38 sacks.
Hopefully, the team has the wherewithal to retain Phillips moving forward since he offers great supplementary depth at both tackle positions.