Giants' Roster Breakdown: Brandon Mosley, OG

Who will start at right guard for the New York Giants in 2014? Will it be veteran Chris Snee, trying to hang on for one more season despite injuries that have plagued him the past two seasons? Will it be John Jerry, the former Miami Dolphin hoping to resurrect his reputation after being involved in the Bullygate scandal? Will it be third-year man Brandon Mosley, who has shown brief glimpses of solid play but has been held back by injuries?

Let's look at Mosley today as we continue our series of player-by-player profiles of the 90-man roster the Giants will bring to training camp in two weeks.

2013 Season In Review

Mosley had limited opportunities in 2013 despite Chris Snee playing in only three games. Mosley played only 59 snaps and, when given an opportunity to start late in the season, suffered a season-ending broken hand. Mosley' most extensive action of the season came when he played 34 snaps at left guard vs. the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and he held up well. He compiled an overall grade of +0.7 in that game, including +2.1 in run-blocking vs. the tough Seattle defense.

2014 Season Outlook

Mosley could emerge as the Giants' starting right guard if Chris Snee is forced to the sideline by his surgically-repaired elbow. With Snee sidelined during mini-camp and free-agent signee John Jerry not available until training camp following knee surgery, Mosley took first-team reps at right guard. The players in front of Mosley when Snee went down last season were James Brewer and David Diehl. Brewer has been working at left tackle and Diehl has retired, clearing an opportunity for Mosley, a 26-year-old in his third season.

"I see improvement [in Mosley] on a daily basis, I really do," offensive line coach Pat Flaherty said during mini-camp. "He's, as we sometimes forget, Brandon is really in his second year. His first year he was on IR. He was with us in training camp and then he had his foot operated on and he was put on injury reserve so he missed a year of football activity. Last year was really his first year and he was progressing very well and then when he had the opportunity to really take the bull by the horn again Detroit he went against a good football player and was rally battling pretty good and then he broke his hand and it started all over for him again.

"The one thing this spring showed for him and showed for us is that you've got a lot of reps and he didn't miss any time. That's a good step in the right direction for him."

Mosley sees the opportunity in front of him.

"I'm excited that I have the opportunity and I'm going to continue to try to do my best," he said during mini-camp. "Whatever happens -- if I need to step in at left guard, right guard, right tackle, left tackle, whatever. I'm going to do it the best I can."

As a reminder of the broken hand that cost him his opportunity at the end of last season, Mosley sports a lengthy scar down the middle of his right hand that begins at the top of his wrist and ends between his knuckles.

"That's a good one to have," Mosley said with a chuckle, showing off the surgically-repaired appendage. "I hated when that happened. I finally get the opportunity to start and show something and that happens."

Mosley is a huge, powerful man. Listed at 6-foot-5, 318 pounds the 25-year-old admitted during mini-camp to probably being 325 pounds at this point.

"I'm excited to see what this year brings," Mosley said.

The ceiling for Mosley in 2014 appears to be an opportunity to wind up as the starting right guard and show that he can be one of the young anchors of the revamped offensive line going forward. The floor would likely be that he remains buried on the depth chart behind Snee, Jerry and perhaps Weston Richburg or even Brewer should be slide back to guard.