Three Critical Steps Forward the Giants' O-Line Must Take in 2026

If the New York Giants are to be a top-ten offense in 2026, it’s all going to start with the offensive line, which, save for the right guard spot, returns four-fifths of its starters from last season, the exception being right guard Greg Van Roten.

That starting offensive line wasn’t too shabby last year. According to Pro Football Focus, the Giants finished with the fourth-best pass-blocking efficiency rating during the regular season (87.6), and the sixth-fewest overall pressure allowed (140).

But ask any returning member, and they’ll likely agree there is always room for improvement. And indeed there is in these three areas.

Reduce Pre-snap Penalties

The Giants--and in particular their offensive line--need to se way less of these in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penalties in general were a problem for the offensive linemen–and not just the starting five. Per league stats, last season the Giants' offensive linemen were flagged 43 times, with only six of those being declined.

But the real number here is that 19 of those penalties called against the offensive linemen resulted in a stalled drive.

Let’s isolate the stats to the starting five from 2025: Van Roten, left tackle Andrew Thomas, left guard Jon Runyan, center John Michael Schmitz, and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

Those five accounted for 27 penalties, four of which were declined, and 12 penalties resulting in a stalled drive.

According to NFLPenalties.com, the Giants finished with the second-highest pre-snap penalty total (41) on offense, which included all pre-snap penalties (false starts, illegal formations, delay of games, etc.).

Suffice it to say, the Giants and, in particular, the offensive line need to get this cleaned up moving forward.

Improve the Interior’s Consistency

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants guard Jon Runyan (76) and Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jamal Adams (33) react in the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants are set at offensive tackle, but the interior offensive line still needs a transition. That began with the addition of rookie Francis Mauigoa at right guard, a bigger, more powerful people mover whose athletic profile fits the type of offensive linemen that head coach John Harbaugh tends to favor.

But for the other two-thirds of the offensive line, any other changes Harbaugh may want will have to wait another offseason.

In the interim, the hope is that the entire interior will be better than it was last year. Although the Giants’ pass protection wasn’t a glaring problem, the interior of left guard Jon Runyan, center John Michael Schmitz, and right guard Greg Van Roten had more than their fair share of issues.

In 12 games they played together, they allowed 27 of the team’s 48 sacks and 157 pressures, a 37.6% pressure rate, according to PFF data compiled to arrive at these numbers.

The shift toward more of a gap scheme, which will be discussed in more detail in the next section, should help the interior in blocking, particularly against stunts and fancy blitzes, two things that often wreaked havoc on the interior offensive line last year.

Find a Comfort Level in the Anticipated Gap Scheme Transition

Giants offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren is working with his linemen to help them master a gap blocking scheme. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Last year, the Giants’ rushing game had 256 attempts behind a zone blocking scheme and 168 behind a gap scheme.

This year, the expectation is that New York will run a gap-based scheme far more often than the zone scheme, this change a result of a philosophy aimed at building more of a power-based rushing game.

A zone blocking scheme usually has the offensive linemen all step in the same direction, and if there is a defender in their zone, the offensive linemen have to pick that guy up. If not, they need to get to the second level to clear out any converging defenders.

A gap-based scheme is more like man vs. man, leaving much less room for error and defensive deception, but also requiring a bit more movement and timing, especially on pulls.

A gap-based scheme also typically results in the running back picking up the minimum required yards for the success rate on each down, e.g., 40% of the needed yardage on first down, 60% on second down, and 100% on third and fourth down.

In terms of the transition, one of the biggest challenges will be for the interior offensive linemen to time their pulls and ensure they reach their assigned man in time to move him out of the way.

For some offensive linemen who haven’t had a lot of experience with gap blocking, this could present a challenge as they get acclimated to doing it on a more consistent basis, which is why the offensive linemen are going to get heavy reps this summer in this scheme.

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