Ever since Weston Richburg left, the New York Giants have had a merry go round at the center position. That is beside the tackles issue. Since his departure in the 2018 free agency, the Giants have gone through Brett Jones, Jon Halapio, John Greco, and Spencer Pulley.
Despite Pulley being signed an extension, he is not a long-term answer. He remains the only center on the roster at the moment. Giants head coach Joe Judge has talked about cross-playing Nick Gates and fifth-round pick Shane Lemieux at the center position to get some versatility among the offensive guards. Kevin Zeitler has some experience snapping the ball but is currently the starting right guard.
The point is the Giants need a long-term answer at this position with Will Hernandez at left guard, Andrew Thomas as the future left tackle, Matt Peart as the future right tackle and Zeitler at right guard with Gates and Lemieux ready to replace him. The Giants are not competitors this season, so what can they do at the center position for the time being to improve the future?
New York Giants: What Is the Future at Center
Re-Sign Jon Halapio
One of Davey G’s favorite lineman during his tenure as the general manager is Jon Halapio. Halapio won the starting position over Brett Jones (traded to Minnesota Vikings) in the preseason of 2018. Halapio suffered a broken foot two weeks in vs. Dallas and was ultimately out for the season. Halapio played relatively well for an offensive line that stunk as badly as the Giants in 2018.
He won the job again over Spencer Pulley in 2019 and Pulley was moved to the backup center position. However, Halapio did not have the same result as he did in two games in 2019. He struggled against bigger defensive linemen and could not protect Daniel Jones consistently. In Week 17, he was taken out of the game with a torn Achilles and would not come back in 2019.
This has to be the worst of the three options at center. Yes, Halapio is a great leader but he has ended the season with two serious lower-body injuries. As he played in more games last year, his weaknesses leaked to the coaching staff. Halapio is 28 and will be one year older in June. The New York Giants need a long-term answer, not a stop-gap veteran journeyman like they have been doing previously.
Start Spencer Pulley Week 1, Transition to Lemieux or Gates
As you go into the later rounds, talent starts to decrease. Shane Lemieux was picked 150th overall (not saying he is a bad player). He played on one of the best offensive lines in college football in Oregon. Not only will he have to transition to the NFL playing guard, but he will have to learn the center position at a full length.
That is where veteran Spencer Pulley comes in. Pulley is good to use for a veteran teacher and stop-gap. Yes, I ripped stop-gap options in the last paragraph, but here is where it helps. Pulley has had experience at center for his entire career. As the coaches are teaching Gates and Lemieux the proper technique, the Giants can have Pulley operate in the middle of the offensive line.
When the Giants feel ready with Lemieux or Gates, they can bench Pulley again and move one of the two linemen to center. Mind you, this is the same thing they can do with Halapio, but Pulley is already on the roster and is not injury-prone in his career. So you will not have to throw in one of the two when they are not ready.
Throw Gates or Lemieux Right Into the Fire
This could be considered the second-best or second-worst option for the New York Giants, depending on how you look at it. Joe Judge can say that he wants Lemieux or Gates to get some snaps at center and throw them right in. That way they could be prepared for the future.
Here’s the con on that subject matter though. One of the two could struggle at center since both don’t really have center experience. Transitioning them would give your future center time to develop and learn the proper technique. Pulley would be better for protection purposes since you don’t want rookie mistakes causing Daniel Jones to be on his back constantly. Daniel Jones was sacked 38 times in 2019.
As mentioned, this could be a viable option as far as experience goes, but inserting Pulley would give the two young players time to develop the right skills and Judge can insert them when it is time.
