Stop me if you’ve heard this before. The New York Giants are 0-2 and in desperate need of offensive line reinforcements to keep the unit a functioning component of the offense. Now, none of the possible candidates need to transform the line into elite status. No, their sole purpose is to upgrade the talent level on the Giants depth chart. After another miserable start to their season, the Giants need to add offensive linemen who have a considerable amount of NFL experience on their resume. The time to add a player based on their potential has ended for the moment.
The goal of the franchise is to get better production from their offensive line. But let’s be realistic, it will take time before a veteran signee can make an impact on the football field. Injuries have sent the Giants scrambling, and there are some intriguing veteran OL free agent candidates available.
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New York Giants Offensive Line in Desperate Need of Upgrades
Mitchell Schwartz, OT
Mitchell Schwartz has been recognized as one of the top NFL offensive tackles, but he is coming off off-season back surgery. It was a major reason why the Kansas City Chiefs released Schwartz shortly after their Super Bowl loss. It was the first in a series of moves to gain some salary cap relief for the Chiefs.
Still, despite rehabbing his body back into shape, Schwartz has not ruled out the possibility of retiring from the NFL altogether. League executives often refer to players who are contemplating retirement as having already retired. But the Giants are in dire straits and pulling a top tackle away from his retirement party is the right move. It’s the type of signing that has a shot of working for them.
If healthy, Schwartz should have no obstacles in his path of becoming a full-time starter for Big Blue. At this point, Schwartz is a better fit in the Giants starting lineup than Nate Solder.
David DeCastro, OG
The Giants need a plug-in replacement at left guard for Shane Lemieux and Nick Gates. Lemieux is out for the year due to a patellar tendon surgery, while Gates is out for the remainder of the season after fracturing his leg in a Week 2 loss to the Washington Football Team. David DeCastro is a veteran guard who can provide some stability along the offensive line.
The Giants will feel better about themselves if DeCastro could step into the starting lineup. At the moment, he is an upgrade to Ben Bredeson. Plus, his experience can help with the development of the younger players on the roster. The Giants would be wise to add another esteemed veteran to their linemen meetings. School will be in session while watching game tape each week.
However, DeCastro has suffered from chronic ankle injuries over the years. The Pittsburgh Steelers released him because of his need for surgery this past offseason. It seemed to be a harsh decision on a starter who missed only seven games over a nine-year career with the Steelers. This short-term signing might be a moot point if DeCastro would be ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Giants medical staff after a physical.
D.J. Fluker, OG
Desperate times call for desperate measures. And as the Giants continued to search for more offensive line help, Big Blue should consider reuniting with veteran guard D.J. Fluker. He spent time with the G-Men in the 2017 season.
The former Alabama lineman has a skill set that will bring more versatility to the unit. Fluker can play either guard or tackle and on both sides of the line. He is an outstanding run blocker who has his struggles with protecting the quarterback. It won’t hurt the Giants to continue shuffling pieces until they find the right mix.
Fluker missed most of this summer’s training camp with the Miami Dolphins due to minor knee surgery. But he is healthy and ready to contribute to an NFL roster. Fluker has the experience (108 games played) to make a difference. He has earned a reputation as a dependable backup lineman who can challenge for playing time within the right blocking scheme.
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