The New York Giants have important decisions looming along their offensive line. Carmen Bricillo, who did an exemplary job with the unit, is no longer the offensive line coach. That responsibility now falls to Mike Bloomgren, who will lead the group alongside assistant offensive line coach Grant Newsome.
Bloomgren spent the 2025 season with the Cleveland Browns, bringing recent NFL experience to the role. Newsome, meanwhile, is a young, ascending coach who previously worked at the University of Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, adding a strong developmental background to the staff.
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The Giants have several impending free agents who won’t be included in the five players, but should certainly be considered for retention; most notably, Jermaine Eluemunor and Greg Van Roten, who followed Bricillo to New York from the Raiders. Both players started and played respectably in 2025.
It may come down to money for Eluemunor, and there are some tackles available who will likely get paid big money. It’s plausible that a team that takes a swing at Braden Smith or Rasheed Walker and misses may be willing to spend a little more for Eluemunor.
Personally, I would love to retain both Eluemunor and Van Roten, but the money will likely dictate the decision. Evan Neal, Aaron Stinne, and Austin Schlottmann are also free agents.
Tyler Linderbaum, C, Baltimore
The New York Giants selected John Michael Schmitz with the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Is he starting caliber? Yes. Has he fully lived up to second-round expectations? I’d say no—but he’s certainly a capable starter. And if the Giants decide to reset the center market, is Tyler Linderbaum the kind of player to justify it?
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He’s an elite run blocker with phenomenal technique, though he does have some struggles in pass protection. Linderbaum surrendered 26 pressures and two sacks last season, a total of 92 pressures and five sacks over 2,416 pass blocking snaps. He has committed 26 penalties, 15 of which were over the last two seasons. My issue with Linderbaum comes down to his size. He’s 6-foot-2, 305 pounds; naturally, he is going to struggle against the bigger interior defensive linemen like Dexter Lawrence.
Linderbaum would upgrade the Giants’ line, but he is in line to reset the center market, which is held currently by Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year, $72 million ($18 million AAV) contract with $50-million in guarantees. That’s a lot of money. This is Schmitz’s last year under contract, and perhaps he can shift to right guard; his presence should not preclude the Giants from signing Linderbaum, per se, but I don’t see value with Linderbaum at the rumored price tag of around $20-million AAV, albeit he would be a valuable upgrade from a personnel perspective.
Joel Bitonio, LG, Cleveland
The 34-year-old veteran has been with the Cleveland Browns since 2014. He has logged more than 1,000 snaps in every season but two and has surpassed that mark every year since 2017. He’s been the pillar of consistency and reliability at left guard throughout his tenure. He spent last season with the Giants’ current offensive line coach, Mike Bloomgren.
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Bitonio has allowed more than 30 pressures in the last three seasons, with eight sacks surrendered. However, the Browns’ quarterback position has been a dumpster fire. Pro Football Focus has respectably above-average grades for Bitonio, for what it’s worth. Spotrac.com projects Bitonio at $12.9 million annually.
That price tag is a bit high for an aging player who has played only left guard in the NFL. He would further stabilize the offensive line, but his signing would likely move Jon Runyan Jr. back to the right side, where he played in his final year with the Green Bay Packers. It’s an option for Joe Schoen, and one that coincides with many of the decisions the Giants have made over the last month — experience, experience, experience.
Kevin Zeitler, RG, TEN
Speaking of experience, remember this guy?! Zeitler’s last year with the Giants was in 2020, and he has gone on to play 1,000-plus snaps in every season up until last year, when he played 909 snaps. He has 14,403 snaps played at right guard in the NFL. He was one of the better linemen the Giants have had over the last two decades. With the Titans last year, he surrendered just 16 pressures and four sacks — with a rookie quarterback.
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Zeitler brings familiarity from his time with the Giants and from his current quarterbacks coach, Brian Callahan. The 35-year-old is still playing good football and should not be costly.
Wyatt Teller, RG, CLE
Another experienced player that Bloomgren worked with in 2025. Teller is a right guard who played elite-level football in the past and continues to play at a solid level. He allowed 24 pressures and three sacks last year, with ten penalties committed over the last two seasons. Teller was drafted by the Bills, but Buffalo traded him and a seventh-round pick to the Browns for fifth- and sixth-round selections. I don’t know Joe Schoen’s role in that decision under GM Brandon Beane, but it’s worth noting.
Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, NYJ
The former USC Trojan is still just 26 years old, but he has managed only 2,625 snaps in his four years with the Jets, and 1,027 of those were in his impressive rookie season. Vera-Tucker has suffered two torn triceps and a 2023 torn Achilles. His second torn tricep happened late in training camp last year, after he was voted a captain. He has not played football since the 2024 season. His first torn triceps was in 2022.
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His career has been marred by injuries, but he is a good football player. He is versatile, playing 1,249 snaps at right guard, 1,027 at left guard, and 279 at right tackle (2022 and 2023). He allowed just 16 pressures and four sacks in 2024, but did commit five penalties. His injury history will be factored into his next contract, and he could be the biggest value in free agency. One that I believe the Giants should explore.
EXTRA
Braden Smith, RT, IND
All five of the above players are interior offensive linemen. I understand that the Giants really made an investment in their swing tackle position last year by signing James Hudson III, but he may not be the long-term option for New York at right tackle. And I like Marcus Mbow, but I don’t want to enter next season with him as the day one starter in training camp.
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If the Giants want to upgrade right tackle, and things fall through between New York and Eluemunor, then 29-year-old Braden Smith could be an expensive option to sure up the offensive line. He played 731 snaps for the Colts last year, allowing 24 pressures and four sacks at the right tackle position. He has been consistent when on the field, but missed the final five games of the season with a concussion and neck injury, which must be cleared.
Smith is a good player who can both run and pass block. He would likely be an upgrade at right tackle, but it would cost more than Eluemunor. Spotrac.com has Smith’s market value at $13.5 million. Smith is an option, but so is resigning Eluemunor or, possibly, spending the fifth pick on one of the top right tackles in the draft.
