|
|
|
| Quote: |
| “He’s exactly what the Giants needed,” NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, a former pro lineman, told the Daily News of Runyan, 26. “He’s a highly consistent player. I go back to Billy Ard, [Rich] Seubert playing guard for the Giants. They’ve had blue-collar left guards.” “They don’t make Pro Bowls or run people over, but they’re highly consistent, they don’t make mental mistakes or beat their chests or commit a lot of penalties,” Baldinger added. “That’s Jon Runyan Jr. When Green Bay’s season ended in the playoffs, he was literally at [Philadelphia Eagles right tackle] Lane Johnson’s barn [in South Jersey] 10 days later working out.” “Ideally you want [Eluemunor] as a guard with the way Daboll’s offense is,” said Jeremiah Sirles, an NFL agent with the One West Sports Group who played for Daboll with the Buffalo Bills and now represents Giants center John Michael Schmitz. “He wants those big bodies at guard like Roger Saffold, who he had in Buffalo. “Daboll’s always been a position flex guy, too. And Carmen obviously knows exactly what [Eluemunor’s] limitations and strengths are. So it will be good to have him competing at guard but also pushing at tackle if they want to move Evan inside.” |
beat me to it! LOL
“I still think Evan is so gifted in so many ways,” Sirles said. “It’s hard for me to look at last year as a full body of work because of the injury. I would love to see him healthy off a full offseason, with a fresh start with Coach Bricillo, and see if we can get that player we know is in there.”
“He was a fantastic player in college, and that doesn’t just disappear,” he added. “Confidence can be lost in an offensive lineman, and it’s hard to get back. But when you’re as physical and talented as he is, I still think he can do it, absolutely.”
Both Baldinger and Sirles were less than enthusiastic about moving Neal to guard if he failed to win the right tackle spot, even though he played one season at left guard at Alabama.
“I think it would be a trial,” Baldinger said. “It’s not like he hasn’t played there before. But defensive tackles are getting better and better. Everybody’s paying a monster defensive tackle right now. And you can’t just say I’m 6-7, 350 and I can stand in here. A lot of guys that size fail inside. They don’t have good balance and can’t get to the second level in the run game. I have a feeling some of those things might show up for Evan.”
Sirles noted: “If it was my choice, [playing Neal at guard] would be a last-ditch effort to get him on the field. I think back to D.J. Fluker with the Chargers. He played tackle as a rookie, played well, came back and struggled, eventually got kicked inside to guard, and that was the beginning of the end of his career.
“The old adage is you can always move in, you can’t move out. A guy that big and strong, you want to say ‘That’s our tackle.’ Tackles are hard to find, especially good ones.”
Bring in a bunch of vets that “can do the job”, let them start and be servicable and allow the draft picks to develop properly at their own speed. No more forcing a Marcus McKethan to start before ready and killing his confidence.
We’ve relied on way too many rookies to start over the past 10ish years, now we just need to hit on the vet signings…
Hairline … possibly not visible due to location or swelling.
Quote:
"Good Pat Leonard article"
beat me to it! LOL
Me too. I only opened the thread because Eric posted it.
Thomas-Ezeudu-JMS-Runyan-Neal the offensive line with Eleumunor the swing tackle, going into camp. They need to give the 2 guys they invested heavily in every chance play. If they are terrible they get the hook for Eleumunor or a back up Guard (Stinne, or draft pick).
Thomas-Ezeudu-JMS-Runyan-Neal the offensive line with Eleumunor the swing tackle, going into camp. They need to give the 2 guys they invested heavily in every chance play. If they are terrible they get the hook for Eleumunor or a back up Guard (Stinne, or draft pick).
Ezeudu still may be rehabbing his injury, which Schmeelk said was significant.
Also, left guard is Runyan's best spot. I would start Ezeudu. Not yet.
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
I am very hopeful they come together and stay healthy.
Thomas-Ezeudu-JMS-Runyan-Neal the offensive line with Eleumunor the swing tackle, going into camp. They need to give the 2 guys they invested heavily in every chance play. If they are terrible they get the hook for Eleumunor or a back up Guard (Stinne, or draft pick).
Runyan is the left guard. Eleumenor will be the RG. They aren't giving up on Neal yet at RT, no way, and we NEEDED two starting guards and better depth on the inside (well, still need that). Barring injury Day one will be Thomas-Runyan-JMS-Eleumenor-Neal. My take anyway.
Quote:
The Giants need to make
Thomas-Ezeudu-JMS-Runyan-Neal the offensive line with Eleumunor the swing tackle, going into camp. They need to give the 2 guys they invested heavily in every chance play. If they are terrible they get the hook for Eleumunor or a back up Guard (Stinne, or draft pick).
Runyan is the left guard. Eleumenor will be the RG. They aren't giving up on Neal yet at RT, no way, and we NEEDED two starting guards and better depth on the inside (well, still need that). Barring injury Day one will be Thomas-Runyan-JMS-Eleumenor-Neal. My take anyway.
I agree.
AND I hope that's the first day line in training camp all the way up to the first game of the season and into the playoffs :)
Not a Dr.either, but from what I have been told, if a fracture does not show up on the Xray (and sometimes they don't) it is difficult/impossible to tell the difference between a strain and a fracture since they present the same, especially when there is significant swelling right after the injury.
Quote:
Well, Neal is rehabbing to get healthy from an ankle fracture that was initially misdiagnosed as a sprain. Plus, Schoen’s former No. 7 overall pick hasn’t played well enough yet or handled social media scrutiny in any constructive way.
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
What?
The Eluemunor signing is the contingency.
Quote:
Evan Neal is the most important player on this roster in terms of development.
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
What?
The Eluemunor signing is the contingency.
I also expect the Giants to draft a developmental tackle...one of the ones they had in for a top 30.
Frankly, the sooner they try Neal at RG and put Eluemunor at RT the better. Baldy's comments though suggest that guard may not be a good fit for Neal either. Yikes! Is it possible that Neal will have been a worse pick than Erik Flowers? How about for once we find out asap and not wait for years to find out something that is self-evident? If his footwork is still clumsy at tackle come OTAs with Bricillo, move him to guard immediately. If he can't play guard, then trade him asap, at the latest, by the 2024 trade deadline and at lease get something of value for him.
Quote:
Sirles, on the other hand, said he still thinks Neal can put it all together at right tackle.
“I still think Evan is so gifted in so many ways,” Sirles said. “It’s hard for me to look at last year as a full body of work because of the injury. I would love to see him healthy off a full offseason, with a fresh start with Coach Bricillo, and see if we can get that player we know is in there.”
“He was a fantastic player in college, and that doesn’t just disappear,” he added. “Confidence can be lost in an offensive lineman, and it’s hard to get back. But when you’re as physical and talented as he is, I still think he can do it, absolutely.”
Both Baldinger and Sirles were less than enthusiastic about moving Neal to guard if he failed to win the right tackle spot, even though he played one season at left guard at Alabama.
“I think it would be a trial,” Baldinger said. “It’s not like he hasn’t played there before. But defensive tackles are getting better and better. Everybody’s paying a monster defensive tackle right now. And you can’t just say I’m 6-7, 350 and I can stand in here. A lot of guys that size fail inside. They don’t have good balance and can’t get to the second level in the run game. I have a feeling some of those things might show up for Evan.”
Sirles noted: “If it was my choice, [playing Neal at guard] would be a last-ditch effort to get him on the field. I think back to D.J. Fluker with the Chargers. He played tackle as a rookie, played well, came back and struggled, eventually got kicked inside to guard, and that was the beginning of the end of his career.
“The old adage is you can always move in, you can’t move out. A guy that big and strong, you want to say ‘That’s our tackle.’ Tackles are hard to find, especially good ones.”
Played w a fractured ankle
Quote:
Not a doctor, but how is a fracture misdiagnosed as a sprain?
Hairline … possibly not visible due to location or swelling.
Dude is a Beast that played on a fractured ankle, playing next to ghost of a RG with a lousy coach, uhh maybe we should cut him some slack..
Quote:
Evan Neal is the most important player on this roster in terms of development.
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
What?
The Eluemunor signing is the contingency.
I think you're right...but it's gotta work.
Plus Eluemunor can't play G and T at the same time.
In other words, they are not going with the "throw the young guys to the wolves" tactic anymore.
Quote:
In comment 16473649 Dnew15 said:
Quote:
Evan Neal is the most important player on this roster in terms of development.
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
What?
The Eluemunor signing is the contingency.
I also expect the Giants to draft a developmental tackle...one of the ones they had in for a top 30.
And hopefully not have to rely on Josh Ezeudu as left tackle.
In other words, they are not going with the "throw the young guys to the wolves" tactic anymore.
Unless they draft someone - they don't have any young guys to throw to the wolves anymore.
What I think is that they are trying to do away with are the scholarship player idea (see JMS and Neal) OR just hope that players develop but haven't yet (see Ezeudu/McKethan) hence the Runyan/Eluemunor and three other signings.
Like I was saying - they need their contingency plan to work OR get lucky like some of these other teams get with developing young talent on the OL.
None of those recent NYG signings are high draft picks. Those are guys that their old ball clubs developed or got lucky with.
The Giants are due for a plan along the OL to work. Otherwise, people are going to get fired...and in my opinion, it all starts with Neal.
If Neal flops - they have to move to the RT contingency plan, which is undoubtedly to move Eluemunor. If they move him, now there back to playing Ezeudu or McKethan or Neal to RG.
I get there becomes a point where you can't have a great contingency to the contingency to the contingency...but historically injuries and underperformance have plagued this OL (I gotta be honest - I think they get a bad rap sometimes b/c their QBs for the past decade haven't helped their rep at all) but as fans I would love a season in which an average performance from the OL for a full year would be a huge win - that's where we are.
IF they don't get there - Schoen/Daboll won't last...and I think Neal is the key.
It is in the Giants' (Schoen/Daboll) best interest as a franchise for the following things to work out:
1.) one the first day of training camp the line of Thomas - Runyan - JMS - Eleumunor - Neal to work together, grow together, and stay healthy for the duration of camp and the season and play well.
2.) continue to develop McKethan/Ezeudu and any other young OL they have on their depth chart so someday they might be worth a damn
3.) have some of these vets that "can do" actually be effective if they are pressed into duty.
4.) identify OL in the latter stages of the draft to develop in the future so they don't have to spend high FA $$$ on vets that "can do" any more.
For about a decade none of these things have happened.
Although, to be fair to the OL groups though the years, the QBs have not helped them at all.
Neal is the lynch pin to this whole operation - he's the one I feel the most unsettled by (which as a former #7 overall pick is not good) if he fails - they are onto the contingency plan right away...and that's bad.
They have options at right tackle and guard with veterans. Matt Nelson can play right tackle. Elumunor can play right tackle.
Stinnie can play guard. Eluemunor can play guard.
They don't have to go to McKethan and Ezeudu if they are not ready. They are not forced to rely on Neal.
Again, Elumunor has experience at every position except center.
Quote:
In comment 16473584 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:
Quote:
Not a doctor, but how is a fracture misdiagnosed as a sprain?
Hairline … possibly not visible due to location or swelling.
Dude is a Beast that played on a fractured ankle, playing next to ghost of a RG with a lousy coach, uhh maybe we should cut him some slack..
Totally agree with this. I certainly get the frustrations with Neal, but playing next to garbage at RG can’t help a young RT acclimate. Signing Eluemunor was really smart, can play OG and move outside of Neal shows he can’t do it, but I think we see a different Evan Neal this year.
They have options at right tackle and guard with veterans. Matt Nelson can play right tackle. Elumunor can play right tackle.
Stinnie can play guard. Eluemunor can play guard.
They don't have to go to McKethan and Ezeudu if they are not ready. They are not forced to rely on Neal.
Schlottman, Stinnie, and Nelson are vets that you can count on about as much as you can McKethan and/or Ezeudu.
These are guys are far from proven.
Quote:
Not a doctor, but how is a fracture misdiagnosed as a sprain?
Not a Dr.either, but from what I have been told, if a fracture does not show up on the Xray (and sometimes they don't) it is difficult/impossible to tell the difference between a strain and a fracture since they present the same, especially when there is significant swelling right after the injury.
Obviously just speculation, but it would not surprise me if it was an avulsion fracture
Avulsion Fracture - ( New Window )
If he ends up being a bust and the Giants don't have a contingency plan OR flat out get lucky with someone along that line take a massive jump - it's going to cost some people their jobs.
It already has
Thank God Bobby Johnson is gone - that in itself will improve the line.
Fair enough.
One thing I’ve come around on (after we argued last year) was rather than focusing on flexibility in the starting 5 - using camp to try a bunch a different guys in different spots like an open tryout or using a lot of time to focus on the contingency plan (which I thought was a good idea last year - but it clearly wasn’t).
I think this year you get your starting 5 and you put them out there and you let them gel.
It's a shame he doesn't do it more often.