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When word of LT Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral spread, a collective gasp in the tri-state area was heard. Although some were displeased with Beatty’s performance in 2013 — especially after the massive contract he signed — the fact of the matter is he was the best lineman on the New York Giants in 2014, and one of the best in football. Missing him for 5-6 months is a huge punch in the gut to a team with much higher aspirations in 2015. With Beatty no longer part of the equation, the remainder of the O-line will have to step up, and the brunt of the load will fall on RT Justin Pugh.
It’s fortunate the Giants drafted Ereck Flowers No. 9 overall. He will very likely go through his own rookie growing pains, but at least now they have someone to fill in for Beatty at left tackle. Then both Geoff Schwartz and Weston Richburg can be relied upon to have better seasons in 2015, as one is coming off an injury-plagued season and the other is moving to his natural position. Pugh, on the other hand, had a bit of an unexpectedly poor 2014. Prior to Beatty’s injury, the Giants decided to move Pugh inside to guard due to his performance; now, he may have a chance to move back to tackle.
A first-round pick in 2013, you have to remember that Pugh showed the promise to be an NFL tackle. Two years is too quick to label him a bust. Therefore, this year he must take a big step forward and really anchor a line that lost its biggest outside presence. Where he needs to make the most improvement is against the run. Like the remainder of the Giants’ line, Pugh was actually pretty good in pass blocking but quite poor in run blocking. For reference, Giants running backs gained 3.6 yards per carry, good for 30th in the league.
If Pugh can prove he’s an above-average lineman, both against the run and the pass, the Giants will have much less to worry about along the line. If and when he does that, it will leave one position as the only question mark along the line — similar to last year. And although the Giants re-signed John Jerry, the incumbent right guard, it’s imperative they move on from him. He showed he has no ability to be a starter in the NFL. The only remaining option on the roster to play right tackle would be free-agent acquisition Marshall Newhouse, who’s bounced around a bit in his five-year career.
It’s entirely possible that an offensive line of Flowers-Pugh-Richburg-Schwartz-Newhouse works. And even if that’s where Pugh stays, playing on Eli Manning‘s blindside next to a rookie, he will still have a chance to make an impact along the line. Throughout the summer and preseason, Pugh will definitely be a player to keep an eye on. He’s only one piece of the puzzle on the offensive line, but I feel he is the key to whether they’re successful as a unit or not. Hopefully he proves he’s ready for the task.
Matt Turner is a New York Mets Writer for www.RantSports.com. “Like” him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @MTurnerNY, or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google
