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2021 NFL Free Agency: Giants sign G Zach Fulton

The Giants add a veteran who can compete at either guard position

Atlanta Falcons v Houston Texans Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

The New York Giants have added Zach Fulton as depth to their young offensive line. Fulton was a sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft. He’s played 6,201 career snaps. He spent his first contract with the team that drafted him before signing a four-year, $28 million contract with $13 million guaranteed, with the Texans, in the beginning of the 2018 off-season.

The 29-year-old is 6-foot-5, 321 pounds, and he’s coming off a poor season with a very turbulent team in the Houston Texans. He surrendered 11 sacks and 39 pressures in 2020 - not ideal. However, he has several solid years under his belt. Through the other six seasons of his career, Fulton has only allowed 15 sacks and 97 pressures.

The former Tennessee Volunteer also brings some versatility to the offensive line. Most of his snaps are at the right guard position, but he played 634 2017 snaps at center, and 150 at left guard. He also played 846 snaps at left guard in the 2016 season for the Kansas City Chiefs. Fulton is going to bring a lot of experience and some skill to this unit - he’s started 44 career NFL games at right guard over the last three seasons. He also has 90 career starts in general with seven of them being in the postseason.

Fulton was also at the University of Tennessee when current Giants’ tight ends coach Derek Dooley was the head coach. I’m sure he has insight into Fulton’s character and work ethic. I see no issue with this type of addition. Sure, he’s coming off a bad season, but he was on a team that fired their head coach four weeks into the regular season - a coach that had heavy influence on the offense in general. Fulton is still south of 30, has good tape in the past, and could realistically compete for one of these starting guard positions. If it doesn’t work out, then he can be released before the season with little ramification.