The New York Giants have struggled with their offensive line for much of the past ten years. Despite this, one of their top players is on that very line.
Star left tackle Andrew Thomas earned a hefty $117 million contract last year after proving himself as one of the best protectors in the league.
However, things didn’t go smoothly for Thomas in 2023. He suffered a hamstring injury in the first week of the season, sidelining him for seven weeks. He only managed to start 10 games for the Giants last year, and his absence was keenly felt.
For the upcoming season, the Giants need Thomas to stay healthy if they want to improve and have more success on offense.
Thomas has faced injury challenges before. In his rookie season, he played through an ankle injury that significantly affected his performance. Although he improved in his second year, the ankle still bothered him.
In the 2022 offseason, following a standout year, Thomas underwent ankle surgery hoping to resolve the issue that had troubled him since the start of his career.
While his ankle seemed fine last season, he faced another setback when he pulled his hamstring in Week 1.
The Giants’ offensive line struggled immensely last season, with Thomas’ absence playing a major role. They ended the year allowing 85 sacks, the most by any team since 1997.
Without Thomas, there was instability at left tackle, with Joshua Ezeudu and later veteran Justin Pugh filling in. Throughout the season, Giants quarterbacks faced constant pressure.
If Thomas can stay healthy and start all 17 games this season, it would significantly boost the offense. When he’s at his best and injury-free, there are few NFL offensive linemen better than Thomas.
In 2022, Thomas earned a career-high grade of 90.3 from Pro Football Focus, allowing just four sacks and 23 pressures over 1,173 snaps and 16 starts. He even scored a receiving touchdown during the season.
The Giants made a substantial investment in Thomas to protect the quarterback’s blindside. They’re counting on him to be on the field this season to keep the quarterback safe and help fix the team’s offensive issues once and for all.
