Brian Daboll surely knows his Ralph Waldo Emerson. That’s why the New York Giants head coach snapped a photo of his projected starting five offensive linemen practicing for the first time at Tuesday’s walk-through. Daboll captured the milestone as part of the Giants’ journey. HIs team won’t reach its destination without protecting quarterback Daniel Jones.
“It’s great to have everybody back,” starting left tackle Andrew Thomas told Peter Botte of the New York Post on Tuesday. “We need these reps. I think we have like seven or eight practices before the first game. So we need every rep we can get.”
New York allowed 85 sacks in 2023, worst in the league and 20 more than the next-closest team. In fact, no NFL team since the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles (104) has allowed more. Plus, the Giants’ 169.8 passing yards per game ranked 31st in the NFL, slightly better than Carolina (161.2). So offensive line was an obvious area for improvement this past offseason.
The Giants signed three unrestricted free agents, guards Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. Paired with Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz, the line is finally at full strength 11 days before New York hosts Minnesota in the Sept. 8 opener.
Also on Tuesday, the Giants voted both Thomas and Jones team captains, along with Dexter Lawrence and Bobby Okereke on defense, and Casey Kreiter on special teams.