Spencer Pulley: The Good, the Great and the Ugly

As the Giants get ready to open training camp, it seems, at least for the time being, that their plan at center will be veteran Spencer Pulley.

It might not be the ideal plan in the eyes of many and, but it makes sense given the truncated off-season in which there were no on-field workouts for players like Nick Gates, who is thought to be a contender for the center spot, or rookie Shane Lemieux to hone their respective craft.

While that's not to say either can't take advantage of the upcoming training camp practices scheduled, toss in the absence of preseason games which would have provided some valuable on-the-job training, and it's certainly fair to wonder how ready Gates and/or Lemieux might be to challenge Pulley.

So let's focus on Pulley--what he does well and what he doesn't. He has started 26 games in the NFL for two different teams, including every game for the Chargers at center in 2017. In 2018 he started nine games for the Giants, and this past season he started one. Can he be the answer at center?

The Good: Pulley is good on double teams.

One of Pulley's best qualities is how well he works in double team situations. Because he is so relentless when he blocks, Pulley almost always finishes his blocks strong due to his grit and power.

In this first clip (above), Pulley is going to double team a 2i-technique defensive tackle (lined up inside shade on the guard) with the right guard.

When he gets latched on, and they get the momentum going, Pulley does a great job running his feet and eventually getting a pancake block on the defensive player. The back is able to find a lane off Pulley's block and squeeze in there for a few tough yards.

In the play above, the defender is again lined up in a 2i. This is going to be pass protection by the Giants. Pre-snap Pulley doesn't have an immediate threat on him, so when he snaps the ball, he double teams the 2i rusher with the right guard.

As he is blocking, he is scanning and notices a linebacker wrapping around to blitz. He comes off the double team, picks up the blitzing backer, and stops him cold. It is probably one of his most impressive plays on film.

The Great: Pulley has leadership ability and can get people to the proper blocking assignments.

While this series of clips doesn't capture plays, it focuses on Pulley's pre-snap work.

One of the most significant dynamics of playing center is communicating blocking schemes to the rest of the line. Despite not being a starter, Pulley stepped in and looked like he had been starting all season. It is impressive to watch him take command of the offensive line.

In this first clip (above), you see Pulley pointing out the second-level defender to be aware of. He notices that there are four defenders on the side where they only have three blockers.

He is telling the left guard Hernandez that he needs to watch for the blitz from one of the two linebackers since he is the only uncovered lineman.

In this next clip (above), Pulley has to decipher the protection again with four defenders to the left side of the line. This time he identifies the wide nine-technique defensive end.

He points out to the left tackle to let him know he has to kick slide wide, and the guard has to kick to the defender over the tackle. This is a normal slide technique, but the fact that the center is the first to point it out speaks to Pulley's awareness and intelligence.

In this last clip, Pulley is communicating with the guard on the left side. There are no defenders lined up in the A, B, and C gaps. There is an end in a nine-technique outside the tight end. Two linebackers and a safety are at depth on the left side.

Pulley is communicating with Hernandez about who he should be keying when the ball is snapped. You can notice that he spends the time pre-snap with the rookie because the right guard, Kevin Zeitler, is a veteran and one of the best in the game who doesn't need as much assistance.

The Ugly: Pulley is not good in space or one on one.

Pulley is not as athletic as many other centers today. He loses his physicality in space or one on one because he's forced to be lighter on his feet. He can bot dig in, which is where he is able to establish his toughness and grit.

In this first play, Pulley has a defender shaded on his left side. He is supposed to zone block left, which means that he would block the one-technique (shade). When he snaps the ball, he steps left, and the defensive lineman slants to his right.

Pulley oversteps and doesn't get a hand on the defender who is able to straighten up and tackle the running back in the backfield before he has a chance of getting started.

In this second play (above), the Giants set up a screen to their right. After snapping the ball, Pulley pass sets for a second and then pursues a defender at the second level.

He initially takes a poor angle towards a defender, but he adjusts his angle. Despite being in a perfect position to deliver a block, he is unable to cover up the defender and ends up chasing him.

This third play is probably the most disturbing for Pulley because, in today's NFL, the center has to have the ability to pull. Pulling is more than just running around the outside, it is shifting through the impediments and executing a block.

Pulley tries to pull to the right, but he cannot get around the bodies quickly. When he does, he arrives at his block, and the defender performs a textbook fit and shed as Pulley falls to the ground, and the defender is able to string the running back out and force him to the sideline.

Final Thoughts

Many don't believe Pulley is the long-term answer at center, and that's probably true. But for the reasons cited above, he's the favorite heading into the 2020 season. He also represents the center with the most experience on the team.

Pulley allows the team to keep the continuity along the interior of the line. Hopefully, the 27-year-old will be able to take this opportunity and quell any concerns that exist about his game.

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