Aaron Stinnie: The Good, the Great and the Ugly
The New York Giants signed former Buccaneers left guard Aaron Stinnie. This move adds to what has quickly become a crowded position that will feature some good competition this summer.
Stinnie has playoff and Super Bowl experience and is in a position of need for the Giants. He excels in pass blocking, and he uses his feet well. He has some issues as a run blocker, which is likely not why he was acquired.
Stinnie will battle it out this summer with the others in the offensive line room for those two spots. Let’s check out the good, the great, and the ugly of former James Madison linemen.
The Good: Foot Quickness
At 6’3” and 312 pounds, Stinnie has surprisingly quick feet. They were on display during the Buccaneers' playoff run last season. He used them to engage defenders on the line of scrimmage quickly during run blocking. He can also short and long pull fast, which can deter edge rushers or outside blitzers from getting into the backfield and disrupting the play.
He also climbs to the second level quickly and gets on defenders. Seeing him retain his quickness after coming off a lost 2022 season as he recovered from ACL and MCL repairs is impressive. There is a possibility that his explosiveness could improve as he moves further away from his surgery.
The Great: Pass Blocking Awareness
Stinnie exhibits excellent awareness in pass-blocking situations. As an interior lineman, he does a great job of seeing with his hand wolf, using his eyes to scan for other work. Whenever he engages an A-gap defender, he keeps his eyes outside, looking for any B-gap pressure.
He does not chase defenders in pass blocking, so it is difficult for stunts to work on him. He passes off defenders to his teammates and patiently waits for returning defenders.
He has a good understanding of when to be light on his feet and when to anchor down. As a left guard, he has been extremely consistent against the pass rush. In the playoffs last season, he was one of the most consistent players along the line.
The Ugly: Solo Run Blocking
For all of the positives that Stinnie brings to the table, he struggles in one-on-one run blocking. He does a good job of positioning himself well against a defender. That allows the ball carrier to see daylight, but unfortunately, it closes immediately. Stinnie does not get movement on the defensive linemen.
Despite his quick feet, he does not provide much force to push defenders off the line of scrimmage. The game is either a stalemate, or he loses position and gets displaced into the backfield.
His inability to create movement at the point of attack allows defenders to control the gap and forces the ball carrier to change direction or adjust course. In the playoffs, his deficiencies in this area stood out.
Coach’s Counsel
As a coach, you love competition and depth. This signing definitely provides that. Of the three guards signed, Stinnie would seem to have the least flexibility, and if there is legitimate competition for the two guard spots, he may have first dibs at left guard.
Since none of the guys signed are great run blockers, he could advance his cause by focusing on improving his run blocking, particularly his drive blocking. He needs to improve on keeping his feet moving when he makes contact.
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