Giants 2022 UFA Primer: OL Billy Price
Billy Price, Center
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 308 lbs.
Age: 26
NFL Exp.: 4 Years
College: Ohio State
Billy Price was traded to the New York Giants on August 30, 2021, by the Cincinnati Bengals, who acquired defensive tackle B.J. Hill in exchange.
Price, a native of Austintown, Ohio, entered the league in 2018 after being selected by the Bengals with the 21st overall pick. While there, he started the first two games of his rookie season before missing the next six games with an injury. Upon his return in Week 10, he was named a Bengals starter through the rest of that season.
Since coming to East Rutherford, things have been challenging for the 26-year-old Price. He was placed deep down the Giants depth chart until injuries stockpiled on the offensive line, forcing him into heavy reps at center.
Playing in relief of Nick Gates, who was lost to a season-ending leg injury in Week 2 against Washington, Price became a porous piece on the Giants offensive line that largely contributed to the team’s season-long offensive ineptitudes.
Price also missed the Week 17 game against the Bears to be with his wife following a miscarriage. By then, the Giants season was already signed, sealed, and delivered as another lost one.
Overall, Price’s season was marked by problems on the field, notably a failure to protect the quarterback and establish any sort of efficient pass blocking that would help the Giants passing game and playmakers thrive more.
2021 Recap
A synopsis of Billy Price’s first season with the Giants can be whittled down to a few glaring statistics that extend broadly to the Giants’ offensive.
The first statistical category (via Pro Football Focus) is one that heavily explains why Daniel Jones–and Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm, two quarterbacks that replaced him after he suffered a neck injury in Week 12–could not establish any sort of groove in the pocket, despite their varying mobility.
Price could not provide solid protection long enough to find open playmakers and make a play happen downfield. In a total of 985 snaps played this season, Price allowed 24 quarterback pressures and two sacks, the total pressures being the fourth most by a Giants offensive lineman. Price finished with a 97.5% pass block efficiency rate (PBE).
But that doesn’t say much given how bad the team’s offensive line performed in pass protection. Against the rest of the league, Price ranked 20th among 26 centers with at least 750 snaps in the same category, per PFF.
Fortunately, Price wasn’t much of a penalized player on the offensive line. He only committed four penalties as a starter, two of which stalled the Giants' drives.
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Why the Giants Should Keep Him
There isn’t much reason to hold onto Billy Price for the 2022 season on the surface, but if you are looking for a reason, consider the experience he brings to the offensive line. General manager Joe Schoen will need to revamp the entire Giants offensive line, starters (save for Andrew Thomas), and depth, and it wouldn't be surprising if he uses at least two draft picks to start this process, including at least one of his first-rounders.
That said, if Price is willing to return on a veteran salary benefit contract for a year to provide depth, such a move will make sense, especially given the uncertainty regarding Nick Gates’ status for the start of the 2022 season.
Gates, the Giants starter in training camp and a team captain, suffered a broken leg in Week 2 against the Washington Football Team and missed the remainder of the year. The unofficial word is that he should be good to go for 2022, but they are still several months away from knowing if that target date will happen.
If Gates isn't ready, Price serving as insurance wouldn't be the worst move in the world.
Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him
Simply put, Price is not a consistently good enough option for the Giants offensive line that has to improve if they want to have any success in 2022. In the games he’s started, he did allow the Giants to get off clean snaps, which is always important. Still, there is enough evidence to show his numbers at protecting the quarterback under pressure and, especially in the passing game, are poor.
Jones will earn back his full mobility once he returns from the neck injury, but it’s hard to see him thrive if he’s thrown behind the same offensive line from this season and forced to escape opposing rushers every play.
As noted, if Gates’ availability is up in the air, Price may have to be re-signed. However, there’s the opposite scenario where Gates returns, and the rest of the line is revamped, leading to Price holding no place in the starting lineup.
Keep or Dump?
If he gets a ridiculous offer, the Giants should let Price walk this offseason. At just 28 years of age, it's certainly not out of the question for a team seeking veteran depth for their offensive line to outbid the Giants for Price.
Also, as noted, the Giants must retool the horrid protection that characterized his season and stagnated the offense all season long.
The wise route would be to use the empty spot in the roster for a draft selection in the first round. The Giants currently have the fifth and seventh (from Chicago) picks in the first round, and the top center in this class is Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum.
But would the Giants want to spend one of their two first-round picks on a center that high, or would they even consider moving down by trading one of the picks with a quarterback-needy team and then targeting Linderbaum?
That could depend on what happens with the Panthers, who draft sixth and are believed to be a quarterback-needy team. If they fill their need before the draft, the Giants might lose bargaining power regarding the fifth overall pick.
The bottom line is that the Giants need upgrades on the starting offensive line, Price included. Let's hope Schoen and Daboll have some answers to what's been a multi-year problem.
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