The New York Giants currently lack a clear-cut starter at the left guard position heading into training camp. A position battle will take place at camp to determine the team’s starting left guard for the upcoming season. Currently, Ben Bredeson, Joshua Ezeudu, and Shane Lemieux are the team’s three contenders for the position. But the Giants may want to consider turning to free agency to add a fourth name to the mix.
Veteran guard Dalton Risner is still available in free agency and the Giants should consider signing him and letting him compete for their starting left guard job this summer.
Why the Giants should consider signing Dalton Risner
Bill Barnwell of ESPN suggested the idea of the Giants signing Risner earlier this offseason, saying the team is in a “vulnerable position” at left guard.
“A one-year deal with the Giants in the $5 million range would make sense for both parties,” Barnwell wrote. “Brian Daboll’s team would get a veteran protecting Jones and security if Ezeudu struggles to return, while Risner would play in a well-regarded offense and earn a shot at a long-term deal after 2023, either with the Giants or elsewhere.”
Risner has been a full-time starter since entering the league in 2019. He has made 62 starts in his career and established himself as a high-quality interior lineman.
While he may not be a massive upgrade at the position, Risner could serve, at the very least, as a quality backup on the Giants’ offensive line. Risner’s starting experience would provide New York with some insurance behind their questionable talents at guard.
If the Giants were to sign Risner, though, there is a good chance he would be able to steal the starting job away from the team’s current talents. Bredeson, Lemieux, and Ezeudu are all largely unproven and, to some extent, inconsistent. Risner’s consistency could make him a valuable signing this late in the offseason.
The Giants do seem comfortable with the talent they already have on the roster, but it couldn’t hurt to bring an extra competitor into the locker room. Risner makes sense as an experienced veteran that could serve as a starter or quality backup on their roster.