The primary deficiency of the New York Giants in 2018 has been the offensive line…again. It seems as if no matter the resources allocated towards the front five, the unit still manages to find a way to struggle. Whether it’s missing blocks, or an inability to manage stunts, it has been a disaster from the get-go.
Not even $15 million per-year can fix a left tackle position that has been plagued by inadequacies. Ereck Flowers played a large part in the degradation of the line over the past few years. Signing former Patriots LT, Nate Solder, was a good first step, but it will require much more in the long-run.
The claiming of former Los Angeles Ram, Jamon Brown, spurred an immediate improvement, as observed in last Monday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. But, a simple improvement isn’t what the Giants are seeking. A significant one is what they’ve paid for, and sooner or later they must piece together a puzzle that has been sitting on the desk for years.
Who can the New York Giants look at in free agency next offseason to bolster the line?
Signing free agents to improve positions is never an ideal method to achieve success, but it’s necessary on occasion. The Giants might look at Carolina Panthers right tackle, Daryl Williams, to replace the struggling Chad Wheeler. Williams was placed on injured reserve with a knee ailment this season, which will make him a cheaper than expected target. In his first three seasons, Williams played in 39 of 48 total games. He has been relatively healthy over the course of his career, until this campaign, of course.
The Giants might be wise to take a flier on Williams on a short term contract with incentives and try to develop a younger player from the draft.
What’s so great about Williams?
Daryl ranked only behind Ryan Ramczyk and Lane Johnson at right tackle in 2017, earning a 78 overall grade, according to PFF. Williams was drafted in the fourth-round by current Giants general manager Dave Gettleman. The tackle earned top-10 marks in both run and pass blocking in 2017, which should be the primary information when considering him in free agency. The Giants are in dire need of a right tackle that can block on the exterior for Saquon Barkley and to provide time for the quarterback in the pocket.
The bottom line, whichever team decides to take a chance on Williams could end up with one of the better offensive tackles in the league, given his most recent injury doesn’t hinder his performance.