New York Giants: 5 offseason needs in 2019

2. Keep building the offensive line

The Giants entered 2018 with a completely rebuilt offensive line, and the results were a disaster early. The line somehow looked worse than the unit that ended 2017, and things got worse when starting center Jon Halapio broke his leg against Dallas in Week 2.

The Giants were quick to make changes, however, releasing underachievers like Ereck Flowers and Patrick Omameh on the right side of the line. Chad Wheeler replaced Flowers at right tackle while Jamon Brown was scooped up off the waiver wire to become the new right guard, and their additions helped the Giants’ line become much more effective.

This was particularly noticeable in the second half, when the Giants were a much more competitive team. Eli Manning was noticeably more confident in the offense with more time to throw, and the Giants went 4-4 after a 1-7 start to the year.

The Giants need to continue fixing their line, and deciding what to do on the right side of it is going to be key. Brown is a free agent, and the Giants should definitely consider retaining him in order to try and maintain some continuity on the unit.

The big decisions will come at center, where Halapio is expected to factor in after rehabbing his leg injury, and whether or not to upgrade on Wheeler at right tackle. Given the Giants’ limited cap space and lack of quality upgrades available in free agency, they could opt to roll with Wheeler for now and look to draft and develop a replacement in the middle rounds of the draft.