90-Man Roster Preview: Can D.J. Fluker Revive His Career?

Rather than spending exorbitantly in the free agent market to upgrade their offensive line, all the New York Giants did was give D.J. Fluker a one-year, $3 million contract in the hope that he could find the form that made him a first-round pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2013.

Let’s focus on Fluker for a bit as we continue our player-by-player profiles of the Giants’ 90-man roster.

2016 Season In Review

Fluker started all 16 games for the San Diego Chargers at right guard. His 63.7 Pro Football Focus grade was 54th out of 72 qualifying guards. Fluker graded 75.9 as a pass-blocker, but only 46.0 while run-blocking.

2017 Season Outlook

That’s a good question. The Giants basically swapped Fluker for veteran offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse, now with the Oakland Raiders, this off-season. During his four-year career with the Chargers, Fluker spent most of two seasons at right tackle, and two other full seasons at right guard.

Fluker’s PFF scores are better at tackles, and the most obvious thing for the Giants to do would be to put Fluker into competition with Bobby Hart at right tackle. They have insisted, though, that they see him as a guard and he has been the second-team right guard throughout OTAs.

"I have a lot to prove, more than just being a player, just to prove to the team that let me go," Fluker said Friday after the Giants wrapped up their second week of OTAs. "So I got a chip on my shoulder, and I'm very hungry right now. I'm motivated every single day."

It seems unlikely that Fluker would beat out John Jerry for the right guard job, and the Giants don’t seem to want to put him into competition with Hart. So, barring injury, perhaps Fluker is destined to be a backup.