NY Giants' O-line Drops One Spot in Latest PFF Rankings

The Giants remain solid overall in the trenches.

Jun 17, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo speaks at a press conference during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

The New York Giants should not be a 2-10 team this season, but they are. But unlike in years past, the offensive line is not necessarily to blame for the Giants’ current woes.  

New York's protection unit has been sturdy since left tackle Andrew Thomas returned to action in Week 3, consistently ranking in the middle of the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. 

However, the O-Line dipped slightly in PFF's latest rankings following last Sunday's overtime loss vs. the Detroit Lions, dropping from No. 14 to No. 15.

While fans are familiar with Thomas' significant contributions in the trenches -- he has allowed one sack, two hits, and 11 total pressures in 659 offensive snaps -- there are a couple of other linemen who held their own in Detroit.

"Right guard Greg Van Roten had an excellent day in Week 12, allowing just one quarterback hurry on his way to an 81.8 PFF pass-blocking grade, which placed 10th among guards in Week 12," PFF's Zoltan Buday said in his analysis.

"Center John Michael Schmitz Jr. has shown improvements in pass protection this season. The third-year player is giving up pressure on 3.5 % of pass plays this year, which is the best rate of his career."

Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, who served the same position with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders, has helped this position group finally reach competency. Fans have begged for the days when their quarterback could have enough time to run through his progressions and throw the ball.

The long-awaited O-Line revitalization is coming at the perfect time, too. Rookie signal-caller Jaxson Dart requires a certain level of comfort as he continues to develop in the NFL.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) receives a snap from New York Giants center Austin Schlottmann (65) during a week 9 game between New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NY Giants' O-Line is seemingly set up for continued success

While there is still uncertainty surrounding the long-term state of the coaching staff, there is reason to believe the Giants' young QB will have sufficient protection moving forward. 

Greg Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor will both enter free agency this offseason, but as long as this team has a healthy Andrew Thomas, stability should follow.

Besides the 2022 Second-Team All-Pro, New York's O-line boasts other promising talents. Schmitz is making progress in his third NFL campaign, as Buday noted, and rookie Marcus Mbow looks to be a reliable run-blocker.

Big Blue's wretched record will allow the front office to snag another lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Giants could even trade down with a team in search of its next franchise quarterback, allowing them to select an intriguing prospect like Utah's Spencer Fano or Miami's Francis Mauigoa.

There are multiple options this organization can explore when reinforcing its offensive line, but as both the eye test and data show, this former weakness is becoming one of the team's biggest strengths.

New York's O-line cannot let up now. Although making the playoffs is now officially a statistical impossibility, this unit can continue to build momentum and prepare itself for next season.

There is also still time to climb a few spots on the rankings before the season's end.

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