New York Giants Training Camp Player Preview: OT Andrew Thomas

Can Andrew Thomas continue to progress and solidify himself as the Giants' franchise left tackle?

If this Giants offense is ever to get on track, it needs for the offensive line to start playing like a functional unit. However, that hasn't been the case. Thankfully, the fix appears to be headed in the right direction, and it starts with offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Enduring a rocky first season in which he had a mid-year position coach change and dealt with a lingering ankle issue, Thomas's play had people wondering if the Giants had once again missed the boat on restocking one of the most important units on the team.

Thomas, as a rookie, allowed 57 pressures, the second-most among all NFL tackles according to Pro Football Focus. But he finished strong in the back half, pitching pass-blocking shutouts in four of his final six games, whereas allowing multiple pressures was a common theme for him every week in the first half of his rookie campaign.

Thomas then took a colossal leap going into his second season, allowing two sacks and cutting his pressures allowed to 18 in his 800 offensive snaps played. Thomas was so good that he was recognized as No. 80 on PFF’s Top 101 Players from the 2021 season.

Although there are still many questions regarding the Giants' offense, if the Giants have any hope of turning around this offensive line for good, it will all start with Thomas, who missed the spring while recovering from yet another ankle clean-out procedure, continuing this level of play and living up to the expectations at left tackle.

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What He Brings

Thomas answered many of the concerns skeptics had about his play and proved he was worthy of his draft pedigree in 2020. Thomas improved his protection greatly, made a difference in the run game, and even famously caught a touchdown pass by putting his athleticism on display.

Thomas put it all together once he began coordinating his foot placement with his hand punch. Thomas is a powerful player but also very technical. This combination is what makes him so hard to deal with from a defender's perspective. And it's not just the eye test. Last season, Andrew Thomas posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of 82.8, and his overall grade of 78.9 was the highest on the Giants' offense.

Although Thomas proved to be a more than adequate run-blocking tackle, pass protection has always been the name of his game and was his biggest strength. This is good news for Brian Daboll, who will likely run a pass-first offense. With his exceptional arm length, and heavy, strong hands, Thomas does a great job defending against bendy rushers coming off the edge. This gives the quarterback extra time to get the ball out cleanly and execute Daboll’s offense.

One last thing to mention when it comes to Thomas’s 2021 season, and seasons to come, is injury. All reports indicate that Thomas is as healthy as he has ever been after missing some time last year due to an ankle issue which, as previously mentioned, he had surgery on in late January.

Lower leg injuries aren't the end of the world but can sometimes quickly get out of hand, especially when carrying around 300+ pounds of weight. Hopefully, all those ankle issues Thomas dealt with during his first two seasons are a thing of the past.

Giants.com

His Contract

Thomas is in Year 3 of his four-year rookie deal worth $32.3 million. Thomas will account for an $8.8 million cap hit this year. Overall, his figures rank 30th among tackles across the league, similar to players like La’el Collins and George Fant.

If Thomas comes out playing to the level, he showed in 2021 and continues to improve, expect discussions of a contract extension sooner rather than later.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Roster Projection/Expectations

Fortunately for the Giants, there is not much to discuss here: Thomas will be the starting left tackle for 2022. Expect to see No. 78 anchoring the left side of the Giants line for years to come, barring injury.

 

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