John Michael Schmitz Feeling Like Himself Again

Now he has to prove it as he builds chemistry within a different looking offensive line.

Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

For over a week and a half, New York Giants second-year center John Michael Schmitz, Jr. was forced to be a spectator at practice thanks to a flare-up in the same shoulder that last year cost him three games in his rookie campaign.

But that all is behind him now, at least that’s the hope, as Schnitz returned to practice on Sunday, albeit in a limited capacity. With the shoulder issue hopefully behind him for good, Schmitz is focused on the future.

“It's good to be back out there with the team,” he said Monday. “Just getting back into things and yeah, it's going good. All praise to our trainers out there, getting me back and rolling into things. I feel good and looking to take the next couple of steps.”

Schmitz, one of the more highly touted centers in the 2023 draft class, had an up-and-down rookie season, partly due to his injuries affecting his performance and partly due to the revolving door at guard on either side of him. Out of the five centers drafted last year, Schmitz ranked dead last overall, according to Pro Football Focus, poting a 96.2 pass-blocking efficiency rating.

Schmitz, who wasn’t satisfied with how his rookie campaign went, has been working all offseason into the spring and summer to fix some of his game's issues so he can be better at his job.

“Just talked about hand placement, second level, sustaining blocks, and there are a couple right there that I really wanted to work on this year,” he said of the items on his to-do list.   

The bigger challenge is building chemistry with two new guards on either side of him, including one, Greg Van Roten, who wasn’t with the team during the spring. Schmitz said that process of building chemistry with Van Roten has already started off the field while he was sidelined wit the shoulder injury and next it’s time to take that on the field. 

“Obviously to develop chemistry, you got to be out there,” he said. “But it doesn't only happen on the field. It happens in the film room. It happens off the field. It happens with relationships–guys going to dinner. It’s just little things like that. Getting to know the person. When things get tough, this is what you do it for.”

Unfortunately for the Giants so far, injuries have wreaked havoc with the offensive line, which allowed 85 sacks last season, second most in the league, in establishing continuity and chemistry, but Schmitz said he’s confident int he coaches to bring everyone together and get the unit functioning as one regardless of who’s out there.

“Yeah, we trust in our coaching staff, and we feel like they're going to put the best five out there and whoever that is, they're going to get the job done in that position,” he said.

“(The chemistry) comes with the individual reps and working together on a combination block in the field for each and everyone.”

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