Abdul Carter: NY Giants' Offensive Line not as Bad As Some Think

Rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter believes the Giants offensive line isn't the big problem that some still view it as.

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants offensive linemen huddle during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter has only been with the team for a little over four months, and already there have been plays during the spring and summer when he’s made members of the team’s offensive line look silly with his pass-rushing prowess.

But Carter, a man of few words, says that the Giants offensive line, which for the longest time has been viewed as one of the weak links of the team, isn’t as bad as some people believe it to be.

“I feel like they get a bad reputation sometimes,” he said Thursday after the team wrapped up practice ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener at Buffalo. 

“Whenever I see something online, it's always the o-line this, o-line that. But I feel like for every bad clip they got, they got a good one that people don't see or don't post. But I feel like they're going to be a strong point for us this year.”

To his point, the starting offensive line last year of Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten, and Jermaine Eluemunor was probably as good as any offensive line combination the Giants have fielded in a while.

The one "opponent" the line couldn't beat

New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas has missed chunks of the last two seasons due to injuries. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The problem is that the line couldn’t stay healthy–Thomas, who is the unit’s glue, was lost for the season midway through the team’s sixth game, leading to an odyssey for general manager Joe SChoen to find a suitable replacement, only to come up with guys who were predominantly right tackles for most of their careers.

That initial combination was also charged with allowing 14 of the team’s 48 sacks (29.1%) and 87 out of the 253 pressures (34.3%) allowed, according to data from Pro Football Focus.

As the season wore on, injuries struck all but Van Roten, who somehow managed to play every snap. By season’s end, the lack of quality depth had been exposed as a huge hole, one that Schoen paid a lot of attention to in addressing this past offseason with additions like James Hudson III and rookie Marcus Mbow.

The Giants' offensive line went on to finish fifth for most pressures allowed (215) and had the third-lowest pass-blocking efficiency rating (81.7).

The feeling around East Rutherford is that the team is going to run it back with the same combination it opened last season with. But even that’s not a given. Thomas is currently on PUP as he completes the latter stages of the foot surgery he had nearly a year ago. 

Then there is a question as to whether Evan Neal, a 2022 first-round pick who was supposed to be the bookend to Thomas at right tackle but who has had injury and performance issues of his own, can successfully transition to guard, where he’s been competing with Van Roten for the starting job. 

Carter sees and appreciates the work the unit is putting in, noting that it’s extremely rare for a unit to pitch a full shutout in the pass blocking department.

“They have their plays,” he said. “They make their plays, and they look good to me.” 

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