The New York Giants’ defensive line is expected to be the team’s top strength this season. Inversely, their offensive line has been their biggest weakness for the last decade. But that should change this season following a productive offseason that saw the G-Men make some key upgrades to their offensive line.
The offensive line has looked better this summer. The unit looked much-improved throughout training camp and turned in a solid performance in the Giants’ first preseason game against the Detroit Lions. It seems as though the Giants’ offensive line has greatly benefited from lining up against the team’s elite defensive line in practice daily.
Giants RT Jermaine Eluemunor says Brian Burns forces the offensive line to be “perfect”
The biggest addition that the Giants made this offseason was adding star pass-rusher Brian Burns via trade. The former Carolina Panthers Pro Bowler has stepped into the Giants’ defense and immediately established himself as one of the team’s best and most important players. Facing off against him in practice, however, has been no easy feat for Big Blue’s offensive lineman.
Fellow newcomer RT Jermaine Eluemunor praised Burns this week, saying that the edge rusher forces the G-Men’s offensive line to be “perfect” in practice (via Steve Serby of The New York Post):
“He’s really frikkin’ fast around the edge, and he can bend the corner really well. For a tackle, especially a tackle like me, it makes me really have to hone in on him and make sure that every single rep I take and every single set is perfect. He makes you have to be perfect, like there’s no room for error when you’re going against him.”
Eluemunor is coming over to New York this offseason after spending the past three years with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Black and Silver have an elite pass-rusher of their own in three-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. Eluemunor feels as though Burns can have a similar effect on the Giants’ offensive line in practice that Crosby had on the Raiders:
“I say the same impact Maxx is making in Vegas right now just from a mentality standpoint and bring guys along with him, Burns can do the same thing here, which he is doing,” Eluemunor said per The New York Post (h/t Giants.com).
Iron sharpens iron. The best way for the Giants’ offensive line to get better is to face better competition in practice. Not only do they have Burns to worry about during team scrimmages, but they also have to account for rising star EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux and Pro Bowler DT Dexter Lawrence.
The Giants’ defensive line aims to be an elite unit this season. Perhaps facing off against the unit daily in practice will allow the offensive line to see a significant increase in quality on the upcoming campaign.
