Giants Country

John Mara Not Panicked (Yet) About Giants’ O-line

But here’s why he should be.

Patricia Traina

East Rutherford, NJ -- July 24, 2024 -- Team owner John Mara during the first day of training camp for the 2024 New York Giants.
East Rutherford, NJ -- July 24, 2024 -- Team owner John Mara during the first day of training camp for the 2024 New York Giants. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
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John Mara has been attending New York Giants training camps since he was a little boy, so he has a pretty good feel for when it’s time to panic if something is not going right.

So said the 69-year-old team president and COO to reporters in attendance for the team’s unveiling of a special mural at Hackensack University Medical Center commemorating the franchise’s 100-year anniversary.

Mara was specifically asked about the offensive line, which for most of the last decade has been the very bane of the team’s existence, including last year when it allowed a whopping 85 sacks, the second most in league history since sacks became a recorded statistic.

Because of the line’s struggles last year, head coach Brian Daboll fired Bobby Johnson and replaced him with Carmen Bricillo, a man who has a solid track record of getting the most out of his offensive lines. 

Meanwhile, general manager Joe Schoen brought in a slew of veterans to help the unit hit the ground running, which gave Bricillo time to develop some of the younger talent in the unit.

Unfortunately for the Giants, their planned starting five of Andrew Thomas, Jermaine Eluemunor, John Michael Schmitz, Jon Runyan, Jr., and Evan Neal have yet to have any team snaps together since the spring OTAs.

Neal, who is coming off season-ending ankle surgery, had a setback during the OTAs, necessitating the medical staff shutting him down and placing him on PUP to start training camp. That prompted the coaches to move Eluemunor from left guard to right tackle, where the position looks like it’s his to lose.

More recently, Schmitz, the second-year center who missed three games last year due to a shoulder ailment, developed another problem in that same shoulder, which has cost him four practices and counting. 

But even worse, Schmitz’s absence has resulted in a revolving door along the interior, in which Runyan has taken some snaps at center as have natural centers Jimmy Morrissey and Austin Schlottman.

Newcomer Greg Van Roten and undrafted rookie Jake Kubas, the latter of whom has never played the position before, have also taken snaps at the center during Schmitz’s absence.

The revolving door at center has resulted in a rotation of the guards. Aaron Stinnie has practiced at left and right guard. Joshua Ezeudu, who worked mostly at tackle in the spring, recently got snaps at guard. And Runyan, who worked at right guard during the spring, has also seen snaps at left guard.

In short, the Giants' offensive line hasn’t been able to find consistency among its first-team unit, which could very well be a problem in establishing continuity and communication.

With the Detroit Lions coming into town next Monday and Tuesday for joint practices, an event that was supposed to be a litmus test to see how far the Giants have come with their revamped roster, it’s hard to blame anyone who might have concerns about how the Giants offensive line might fare against a very good Lions defensive front.  

But Mara claims he isn’t worried, at least not yet.

“It’s way too early. I’ve been to training camps all my life, and ever since I can remember, the offense has always been behind the defense at this stage of the game,” he said.

“I think the pieces we added to the offensive line will eventually help us. I know it’s a little shaky right now, but I have a lot of confidence in this coach (Bricillo), and I think we’ll be just fine.”

Giants fans–and the team’s quarterbacks– hope he’s right.

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Patricia Traina

PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for over three decades for various media outlets. She is the host of the Locked On Giants podcast and the author of "The Big 50: New York Giants: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants" (Triumph Books, September 2020). View Patricia's full bio.

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