4:19pm: The Giants have since placed Thomas on IR, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Regarding a replacement plan, Ezeudu will indeed have the first chance. No firm plan appears to exist, but the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz indicates Ezeudu worked as the team’s first-string LT in practice while Eluemunor remained at RT.
9:12am: After playing through a significant foot injury to close out the Giants’ Sunday-night matchup, Andrew Thomas has opted for surgery. As a result, the talented left tackle is not expected to return in 2024.
Thomas suffered a Lisfranc injury, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the fifth-year blocker’s Charlotte trip has led to a surgery. This procedure will force the Giants into other options, removing an otherwise healthy unit’s best player. The Giants feared this outcome, and they will now be faced with playing 11 games without an All-Pro blocker.
Sustaining the injury during a third-quarter drive, Thomas did not miss a snap during the Giants’ loss to the Bengals. He indicated an issue postgame, however, and the Giants will need to regroup after seeing their Thomas-Jon Runyan Jr..-John Michael Schmitz–Greg Van Roten–Jermaine Eluemunor line not miss any snaps this season. Although the Giants’ line is much healthier than it was at this point last year, Thomas’ injury deals a crushing blow to the unit.
Thomas, 25, signed a five-year, $117.5MM extension just before training camp last year. He joined Dexter Lawrence and Daniel Jones as Dave Gettleman-era acquisitions paid during the Joe Schoen GM regime. While Lawrence has become one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles, Jones and Thomas have run into steady injury issues that have slowed them. This is Thomas’ most notable injury as a pro, and it both casts doubt about his long-term durability and the capability of New York’s O-line moving forward this season.
Last season, a hamstring injury sidelined Thomas — a second-team All-Pro in 2022 — for seven games. An earlier return was expected, but the former No. 4 overall pick sustained a setback during his rehab process. Thomas has also undergone two ankle surgeries previously, though he only missed three games due to injury prior to last last season. The Giants will hope for a smooth recovery, but by season’s end, they will have seen the standout Georgia product miss 18 games since signing his extension.
The Giants used Joshua Ezeudu as Thomas’ primary replacement last season, and the 2022 third-round pick — a converted guard — has been the team’s swingman this year. New York initially turned to Ezeudu when Evan Neal was in place at right tackle. Neal has been a healthy scratch this season, seeing poor play and extensive rehab sidetrack his career. The Giants have installed Eluemunor at RT; the recent Raiders starter was initially set to play left guard on a first-string line including Neal. The Giants changed that plan early in training camp, as Neal was not yet ready to debut.
It would stand to reason Ezeudu would receive the first crack at replacing Thomas. Neal could factor in, and this injury would at least position him to receive a game uniform again. Eluemunor does have a history at left tackle, playing on the blind side sparingly during his career. Though, the recent free agency pickup has never played more than 200 snaps at LT in a season. He did see time there for the Patriots and Raiders, but the Giants had viewed the journeyman best at LG or RT.
Ezeudu made five starts at left tackle last season but went down with a season-ending toe injury. Thomas reclaimed his starting gig soon after, but the Giants will need to turn to either Ezeudu or Neal — potentially in a scenario in which Eluemunor changes positions for a second time this year — to replace their anchor. Either way, the team is likely set to see a steep downgrade from Thomas.
Great.
Now we have to hear how this will effect Daniel Jones and how it isn’t his fault he’s a bad QB
Don’t think that alters the Giants braintrust one bit…….Jones has proven he can’t throw a deep ball, never looks past his initial read and ins’t the answer which is obvious….G-Men, should and will cut him loose, and should decide whether there is a QB in the upcoming draft that’s the answer, or pass, continue to build the team, sign a journeyman for next season (Flacko) and draft Manning in 26……regardless, Jones has run out of excuses…..he’s a backup…..
Arch in 2026. that is if he comes out early however I feel the Mannings value education and he may stay until his degree is achieved. I’m not sure if his redshirt year was fullest classed and thus he will have all credits done by his junior year. nevertheless I think the Giants will do everything possible yo secure that draft pick when the time comes
Damn shame, when he’s healthy he’s a stud. I know he struggled early on in his career, but he turned it around. He’s no Evan Neal I’ll give you that. Hopefully he comes back stronger next year.
He got used and abused pretty well in this last game….and not sure that was because of his foot injury or not….tough way to go out and hopefully he returns and resumes what looks to be a very good career….
i think he’s a stallworth for whoever they chose to play under center going forward. I agree with you on Jones, he’s a glorified backup. He doesn’t read the defense and doesn’t react in time. I do think they probably will need to address everything but QB in this draft and go after more of a journeyman than going after one of these average QB’s in the draft class. Maybe go out and get Winston for a year? It can’t possibly be any worse than what Jones has done. I think they’re going to be all in for Arch in 2027 though. Question is, what do they do the next few years until then?
Good thoughts……agreed….as far as waiting for Arch in either 2026 if he comes out early, or 2027 which I would doubt…..cutting Jones will get an instant positive fan reaction and hope going forward that they can begin anew…..I think Giants fans are aware that this team, especially with Thomas out for the year, and Neal back in on the blind side, isn’t going anywhere and will be luckily to win 5 games….should put them in a good drafting position which Schoen needs to take advantage of….don’t think for a minute that Eli isn’t aware that his nephew can continue the Manning/Giants legacy and that he certainly has whispered as much in his ear….. who cares if he only started for 1/2 years….he still is miles better than Jones even at this stage…..
I have to ask if its time to roll out the tanks on 2024. The line went from godawful to borderline marginal this year with Thomas doing a lot of the lifting and certainly any thought of putting in a turnstyle like Neal will put them back down into godawful again.
@NYG4246 I had the exact same thought. Can’t do the deep ball, is always good for at least one WTF throw a high school kid wouldn’t dare try per game that often gets run back the other way, and tired of watching him throw dimes when only 7 or 8 cents were needed to make the completion (overthrows).
Theoretically, yes. Roll out the tanks. They’re not going to make any kind of push, especially with Nabors out and now Thomas.
However realistically, I think they’ll go a few more weeks. If they lose another couple games then they’ll do it.
Never a dull moment. Bring back Bill B to coach the Giants. The time is now for him to come back at any cost
I guess with the NFC east the way it is at the moment they are still technically in the hunt…6 games in. With 4 games to the bye including 1 vs. PHI and 1 vs. the division leaders (WSH???), I can really see a 1-3 stretch – winning against CAR to put them at 3-7 but with L’s against all div foes – they’d be beyond done.
It’s a shame Matt Millen isn’t still around, could trick him in to picking up DJ…