After playing so well and cohesively as a unit from Weeks 2-6, the New York Giants offensive line took a major hit due to left tackle Andrew Thomas's season-ending foot injury.
The Giants, well aware that there is no replacing a player of Thomas’s caliber, plugged in third-year man Joshua Ezeudu at left tackle after spending time dating back to the spring to help get him more reps should he be called upon.
Unfortunately, Ezeudu, thrust into the left tackle role last year when Thomas suffered a hamstring pull in Week 1, struggled when pressed into action this year.
He was responsible for two sacks in the first half of the Giants’ 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, prompting speculation as to whether the Giants will change their approach to the position after one week.
Jon Runyan, Jr., the team’s left guard, doesn’t think that will happen.
"I've been fortunate enough to get some snaps playing next to (offensive lineman) Josh Ezeudu over OTAs and a little bit of training camp just mixing people around trying to feel everybody out and how everybody works together,” Runyan said on Wednesday in a video call with reporters.
“But I don't anticipate any new changes."
Runyan acknowledged that it’s tough to replace a player of Thoans’s caliber, but he backed Ezeudu and believes that if he gets the chance, he will settle into the role.
"I feel like Josh (Ezeudu) is a great replacement, and he's just going to get better every week,” Runyan said.
Runyan was also quick to point out that the Giants' offensive line woes last week against Philadelphia in which they allowed 18 pressures and seven sacks, are not all because of Thomas’s absence.
"I think just the way the game was going early, we had some trouble with protection, and I think that kind of hurt us in our pass game,” he said.
“From our perspective as an offensive lineman, I think it didn't help our quarterback. Him being down on the ground that many times in the first and second quarters is not really what he's used to so far this year. I think there's a lot of blame to put on us as the front five up there early on."
Still, all eyes will be on what head coach Brian Daboll decides to do at left tackle this week. In his Monday video conference with reporters, Daboll left the door open for a possible change.
Since then, the Giants worked out former Cardinals first-round pick D.J. Humphries to see where he was at physically.
The team could activate Chris Hubbard, who was signed last week, for the game on Monday night against a stout Steelers defense led by T.J. Watt. Another, albeit a longshot, is to move Jermaine Eluemunor from right tackle to left tackle and out Evan Neal in at right tackle, but that seems like the longest of long shorts to happen.
Neal is not believed to be caught up on all the offseason and training camp work he missed while recovering from an ankle issue. It would be too much of a risk to move Eluemunor to the left side and leave Neal to deal with Watt, who typically lines up across from the right tackle.
The Giants could give more help to Ezeudu, who did settle down as the game unfolded last week if they put him out there again, but that will only go so far. Whatever they decide, they better figure it out quickly, lest they end up with another embarrassing loss.
