Tag: Andrew Thomas

Report: Giants’ Andrew Thomas could miss remainder of season

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, #Giants OL Andrew Thomas’ status is “up in the air” after he suffered a LisFranc injury in Week 6.

According to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport on Tuesday, New York Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas’ status is “up in the air” after he suffered what is feared to be a LisFranc injury in Week 6.

In a post to Twitter, Rapoport explained that Thomas was meeting with “noted foot expert Dr. Robert Anderson” in Charlotte and that the veteran lineman would likely have to miss the rest of the regular season if he requires surgery to fix the injury.

Third-year tackle Joshua Ezeudu currently sits behind Thomas on New York’s depth chart and is likely to get his first start of the 2024 regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1846313215686238523

The Giants haven’t yet placed Thomas on their injured reserve list, so his official status remains a mystery.

Stay tuned to see if Thomas will need to miss extended time, or if New York avoided disaster with this latest setback.

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Giants will have to go with Plan B if Andrew Thomas misses time

The New York Giants have not offered an update on Andrew Thomas (foot) but if he misses time, Evan Neal could return to the starting lineup.

The New York Giants could be in for a huge blow if the MRI on All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas’ foot comes back positive.

Thomas was clearly in pain on the field after suffering the injury “somewhere on the scoring drive” in the middle of the third quarter.

After the game, Thomas revealed to reporters that he was hurting although he did not come off the field during the game, playing every offensive snap.

As the game neared its end, Thomas was struggling to play his position.

“Yeah, just fighting,” he said before saying that his performance on the night was “not good enough.”

“Some of it is sore, so I don’t know exactly what it is,” he said. “I didn’t get imaging. I think I’m supposed to go tomorrow… They said I needed the MRI to see exactly what’s going on.”

Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters on Monday he had no update on Thomas’ condition but would when the team came back from their day off on Wednesday.

Thomas was looking forward to playing a full season this year after missing seven games due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 1 last season.

Thomas has been the anchor of a rejuvenated Giants offensive line that is graded the 14th-best pass-blocking unit in the NFL by Pro Football Focus this season. He has allowed 4.0 sacks on 16 pressures in six games so far this year, earning a pass-blocking grade of 71.8.

The Giants face the Eagles this Sunday and should Thomas not be able to answer the bell, the Giants will have to go Plan B.

That plan would likely entail flipping right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor over to the left side and inserting the much-maligned Evan Neal at right tackle.

For the 2-4 Giants, the last thing they need is another rash of key injuries as they try to claw their way back into contention.

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Giants’ Andrew Thomas will have MRI on injured foot

New York Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injured foot.

The New York Giants fell to the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-7, on Sunday Night Football but may be facing a loss even more significant than that.

Early in the third quarter, during the team’s lone touchdown drive, left tackle Andrew Thomas came up limping. Although he remained in the game, it was evident the veteran was in significant pain.

Following the loss, Thomas, who struggled against Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, acknowledged suffering a foot injury and revealed he would undergo an MRI on Monday.

“I don’t know exactly what it is. So, we’ll see what they say,” Thomas told reporters. “They said I needed the MRI to see exactly what’s going on.”

Although Thomas struggled in Week 6, he’s been a rock for the much-improved offensive line. Any absence — however short or prolonged — would be extremely detrimental to the developing chemistry and the offense as a whole. It would also likely mean the return of much-maligned offensive tackle Evan Neal.

“Not great, but it’s part of the game,” Thomas said when asked how he felt. “Some of it is sore.”

For now, the Giants hold their breath…

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Giants’ Andrew Thomas staying focused despite another 0-2 start

The New York Giants are 0-2 to start a season once again but LT Andrew Thomas says it’s a new team and they’re going to remain focused.

The New York Giants are 0-2 after two weeks here in the 2024 NFL season. Unfortunately, it is not unfamiliar territory for this suddenly floundering franchise.

The Giants may be celebrating their 100th season, which contains eight NFL Championships (including four Super Bowls), but the last decade or so has become very forgettable.

The Giants are 0-2 for the 10th time in the last 12 years. The names and faces may have changed, but the results have remained the same.

For players such as defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a two-time college football national champion at Clemson, and left tackle Andrew Thomas from powerhouse Georgia, losing is a new concept to them.

Fans are booing and showing their displeasure on social media and the sports radio airwaves. Even the most notoriously loyal Giant fans are beginning to sour on the team.

“I definitely understand the perspective of the fans, but for us as players, it’s a new team every year,” Thomas told reporters on Monday.

“A lot of us haven’t been there for some of those years, so we’re just focusing on the next opportunity that we have. Obviously, we didn’t start fast, 0-2, but it’s a long season, so we’re just focusing on Cleveland this week, trying to get a win, and we’ll see if our things shake out from there.”

Sure, the Giants can turn things around. In 2007, they became just the third team to start a season 0-2 and go on to win the Super Bowl (the 1993 Cowboys and 2001 Patriots were the others).

No team has done it since. These Giants don’t appear to be the next.

In fact, since 2019, only two teams starting the season at 0-2 qualified for the playoffs. Neither got past the Divisional round.

Head coach Brian Daboll’s job may be secure for the time being, but the losses are beginning to mount. His record with the Giants is 15-20-1 and let us not forget that he began his stint with a 6-1 record.

Thomas was asked if the head coach sets the tone of a team.

“I think teams take on the personality of their coach, but I think the best teams lead themselves,” Thomas, a team captain, said. “Obviously, the coaches put us in positions to make plays, but it’s really up to us. They don’t cross the white line, so it’s up to us to have the mentality to be dominant, physical, and execute. That’s up to us.”

Most of it, anyway. But it would be nice to see some of that leadership on the field, and soon.

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Gimme Him: One player Commanders would steal from Giants

It came down to three players for the Giants.

The Washington Commanders (0-1) host the New York Giants (0-1) in their home opener Sunday from Northwest Stadium. It will be rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ first NFC East game.

Ahead of every game, we here at Commanders Wire take the opportunity to hypothetically steal one player away from the upcoming opponent who would help upgrade the Commanders’ roster.

Which player would we choose from the Giants?

It came down to three players: Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers, of course, is Daniels’ college teammate at LSU.

In this exercise, we’re choosing Thomas, the All-Pro left tackle. Lawrence would be a massive addition at defensive tackle, but that’s Washington’s deepest position, even if Lawrence is ahead of them all. Ultimately, this comes down to Thomas and Nabers, with Washington’s need for a left tackle standing out.

The Commanders may have found a left tackle in Brandon Coleman. However, in this hypothetical exercise, Thomas, who is still only 25, slots in as Daniels’ blindside protector for the next several years, allowing Coleman to move to right tackle, solidifying that spot for a decade.

Thomas missed seven games last season but was healthy and looked like his dominant self against the Vikings. Could you imagine if the Commanders had a pair of young offensive tackles to protect Daniels for years to come? The narrative surrounding the team would be different.

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1833498160217698638

So, Washington fans, would it be Thomas if you could steal one player from the Giants? Or someone else?

 

 

Giants’ Andrew Thomas on Brian Daboll: ‘He calls it, we haul it’

New York Giants LT Andrew Thomas addresses Brian Daboll calling offensive plays in a simple way: “He calls it, we haul it.”

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll will be calling the offensive plays this season which has many wondering what, if anything, will change.

All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas was asked his take on what is different with the head coach calling the plays this year instead of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

“It’s not different. It’s the same scheme,” Thomas said. “We have a saying, ‘he calls it, we haul it.’ Whatever’s going on, we try to execute that play.”

The offensive line is finally healthy and intact as the regular season nears. Thomas missed seven straight games after injuring his hamstring in the Giants’ 40-0 drubbing by Dallas in last season’s opener. This year, he is in a better space.

“I’m excited. It’s a new team,” Thomas told reporters on Wednesday. “Obviously, it’s the first game of the year, so we’re trying to make a statement, come out and get a win.

“It was a lot of things that we dealt with last year, but we’re putting that to bed, have a new group up front. We’re trying to be dominant, be physical, protect (Daniel Jones), and open holes for the run game.”

And that run game will be without running back Saquon Barkley for the first time since 2017. Instead, Devin “Motor” Singletary will be leading the charge out of the backfield.

“Obviously, different type of backs, but Motor’s done a great job for us getting downhill,” said Thomas. “He makes really good cuts in the hole. He does a great job for us with pass protection, too. That goes unnoticed sometimes, but he’s done a really good job for us.”

Thomas needs to stay healthy for the Giants to return to being competitive again. Since the beginning of 2022, they are 13-12-1 with Thomas in the lineup and 2-5 without him.

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Giants starting O-line is finally together and on the field

For the first time all summer, the New York Giants’ projected starting offensive line is intact and have taken the field together.

Now that the New York Giants have trimmed their roster to the mandatory 53 players, their offensive line can get down the business of playing together and creating some cohesion.

On Tuesday at practice, the Giants’ projected starting offensive line took the field together for the first time this summer. Head coach Brian Daboll commemorated the moment by posing for a picture with the group.

“Yeah, I did,” Daboll laughed when asked if he really took a photo. “I took a picture of those guys in walk-through. The five of them out there doing their first drill together. Walk-through drill.”

The five players being left tackle Andrew Thomas, left guard Jon Runyan Jr., center John Michael Schmitz, right guard Greg Van Roten, and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

Tackle Evan Neal is also back on the field after being largely limited over the summer.

The line has been shuffled around this camp due to various injuries to Neal, Schmitz, and Runyan. In their places have some very competent backups in Aaron Stinnie, Yodny Cajuste, Joshua Ezeudu, Austin Schlottmann, and rookie Jake Kubas.

Thomas laughed when asked if he noticed the group was lining up together for the first time on Tuesday.

“I noticed, yeah,” said Thomas. “It was kind of funny. We joked on John Michael a little bit just because he’s young and missed some time. It’s great to have everybody back. We need these reps. I think we have seven or eight practices before the first game so we need every rep we can get.”

Thomas was asked if there was enough time for the group to come together and gain some traction before the season begins in 11 days.

“I think so. I think we have a good group,” he said. “A lot of veterans which I think that helps with the group. And then John Michael, it’s his second year in this system, so just making the MIKE points. I think he’s going to do a good job for us.”

Thomas and quarterback Daniel Jones will be the offensive captains this year. Neither is an extrovert but their backs are against the wall. It’s Thomas’ turn to take the leadership reins.

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Giants’ Daniel Jones named among 5 captains for 2024 season

The New York Giants have voted in five captains ahead of the 2024 regular season, including quarterback Daniel Jones.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll announced on Tuesday afternoon that the players have voted the following five teammates to be team captains for the 2024 season:

Quarterback Daniel Jones and left tackle Andrew Thomas on offense, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Bobby Okereke on defense, and long snapper Casey Kreiter on special teams.

“Players voted for captains today. There will be five of them,” Daboll told reporters. “Casey Kreiter on special teams. Daniel Jones and Andrew Thomas on offense. Dexter and Bobby on defense. Those were voted by their teammates.”

Last season, the team voted 10 players to be team captains, which was excessive. Jones, Thomas, Lawrence, and Okereke were among the group.

Daboll delivered the message at his media session at 1:30 p.m. EDT, two-and-a-half hours before the deadline for final roster cuts.

“This year there is less captains. So, I think that holds a little bit more weight,” Thomas told reporters. “Guys respect you a lot more. We brought a lot of other veteran guys along, even if they’re not captains, that have done a good job on both sides of the ball, just being leaders and trying to get everybody on the same page.”

Like Thomas, Okereke also seemed pleased with a reduction in the number of team captains.

“Every year is a different year. Every team’s a new team. I think the best fit for our team this year was the five captains. Great guys who have different leadership styles, different experiences and wisdom, and I think we’ll do a great job,” he said.

“Just based off everything that’s unfolded, it’s kind of the right fit.”

Having just five captains instead of 10 should benefit the Giants in theory, but that’s not to say other voices won’t be heard.

“Different leadership styles, some guys lead by example, some guys are rah-rah guys. It just adds to the collective,” Okereke said.

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3 Giants on ESPN’s predicted list of top 100 players in 2024

ESPN predicts that three members of the New York Giants will be among the top 100 players of 2024 based on expected production.

The ESPN staff is making some predictions with the regular season just around the bend, ranking the top 100 players of 2024 based on expected production.

Here’s how the ESPN staff explains the process:

To create our list, we asked a panel of dozens of ESPN NFL experts to rate players based on performance expectations for the 2024 season compared with their peers. Emphasis was placed solely on the upcoming season and predicting potential greatness rather than on past performance or positional value. From those ratings, we ranked the best players in the league.

In total, three members of the New York Giants made the cut beginning with left tackle Andrew Thomas.

Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

76. Andrew Thomas

OT | Giants
Age: 25
2023 rank: 56

Thomas might have been even higher on this list if he hadn’t been limited to 10 games last season because of a hamstring injury. When Thomas is on the field, he’s proved to be an elite left tackle. His 92.4% pass block win rate over the past two seasons ranks seventh among all tackles. Just look at the impact he has on the Giants’ offense. New York averaged 12.1 points per game over the first eight games when he wasn’t healthy. It averaged 18.1 points per game after he returned from the injury. He might be the most important player on the Giants’ entire roster. — Jordan Raanan

Signature stat: Thomas has the seventh-best PBWR among tackles since 2022, sustaining his blocks for 2.5 seconds 92.4% of the time (ESPN Analytics/NFL Next Gen Stats).

Dropping 20 spots is a rough fall for Thomas, who underperformed last season as the result of the aforementioned hamstring injury. He has looked dominant this summer and assuming a full return to health, should re-establish himself as one of the best left tackles in the NFL this season.

Next up for the Giants is a bit of a surprise.

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

54. Dexter Lawrence

DT | Giants
Age: 26
2023 rank: 48

Lawrence’s numbers as a nose tackle are unmatched. He racked up 24 quarterback pressures last season lined up across the center, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. No one else had more than eight. Look no further than what Aaron Rodgers said after facing him two years ago to see the respect he now commands around the league. “No. 97 is a premier player. And needs to probably get more recognition for the ability that he has,” Rodgers said. He’s starting to get noticed. — Jordan Raanan

Signature stat: Lawrence is one of four players since individual sacks were tracked in 1982 to record at least 20 sacks and 250 tackles in their first five seasons with the Giants; he joins Jason Pierre-Paul, Carl Banks and Leonard Marshall.

2024 projection: 56 tackles, 5 sacks

Lawrence in this spot is surprising because ESPN suggests there will be 53 players better than Lawrence in 2024. They also have him falling six spots despite assuming the role of the NFL’s most dominant interior defender. This feels like disrespect.

Last up for the Giants and their highest-ranked player is a brand new addition.

Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

32. Brian Burns

Edge | Giants
Age: 26
2023 rank: 54

Burns has had at least eight sacks in each of the past four seasons and his pass rush win rate of 20.4% is the 14th best among all players during that span. The Giants showed what they thought of Burns’ game in Carolina when they traded for him this offseason and then handed him a $141 million deal. So far, Burns has impressed. Cornerback Nick McCloud said he was in “awe” of the explosion Burns possesses at his size (250 pounds). The Giants even think Burns can take his game to the next level playing with Dexter Lawrence II in the middle and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the other side. — Jordan Raanan

Signature stat: Burns’ 46.0 sacks is the second most by a Panthers player in franchise history through the first five seasons of their career, trailing only Julius Peppers (53.5, 2002-06).

2024 projection: 60 tackles, 9 sacks

With Kayvon Thibodeaux playing alongside him, we’re taking the over on Burns’ projected 9.0 sacks. He’s been impressive every time he’s stepped on the field and should benefit from a lot of one-on-one matchups because offensive coordinators now have to pick their poison.

Like Thomas and Lawrence, expect Burns to be higher on this list next year.

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Former Georgia Bulldog Andrew Thomas agrees to contract restructure

Former Georgia Bulldog lineman earns more guaranteed money with a contract restructure.

Andrew Thomas, one of the most notable Georgia Bulldogs in the NFL, has agreed to a contract restructure with his NFL team, the New York Giants, according to John Fennelly of Giants Wire. The Giants converted $4.175 million of Thomas’s base salary into a signing bonus, which freed $3.3 million in cap space.

After the New York Giants drafted Thomas No. 4 overall in 2020, he’s been as consistent as they come. After his rookie year, he’s only allowed nine sacks in three seasons and a PFF grade higher than 75 in the past 3 seasons, including an excellent 89.1 PFF grade in 2022. The 2022 season saw him earn a spot on the second All-Pro team.

This warranted a five-year, $117.5 million extension from New York in the 2023 offseason. This included $67 million guaranteed, which broke the record for the most guaranteed money ever given to a tackle. Now, Thomas will have more money guaranteed to him, as the Giants now have $18 million in cap space to work with.