Is Isaac Seumalo an answer to the Giants’ interior offensive line issues?

Methuselah was a young man the last time the New York Giants were stable on the interior offensive line. Despite efforts to fix the issue, the Giants were still less than ideal up front in 2022. Injuries to rookie Joshua Ezeudu and Shane Lemiuex did not help the situation, but other starters failed to meet expectations.

The Giants signed Mark Glowinski to a three-year $18.3-million contract last offseason. He was an upgrade over the 2021 quandary the Giants had at guard, but he was far from consistent, and his glaring issues were exploited.

Glowinski allowed 37 pressures (10th most in the league among OGs) and five sacks in 2022. Defenders too frequently had success using power in a half-man relationship against Glowinski; quarterback Daniel Jones faced immediate pressure before he hit his back foot too frequently.

Despite the struggles in pass protection, Glowinski was an impressive run blocker who was excellent at climbing up to the second level from the backside. Signing a player like Seumalo wouldn’t automatically exclude Glowinski as a starter, but it would give the Giants more consistent options to rely on moving forward.

The basics

Age: 29 in the 2023 season

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 303

Position: Guard

Experience: 7 seasons

2022 stats: 19 games | Sacks allowed: (1) | Pressures allowed (22) |

The skinny

Seumalo was a backup for the Philadelphia Eagles through his first contract before signing a three-year extension in 2019. He was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Oregon State. He had an adequate season as a starter in 2019, playing 1,226 snaps at left guard.

Injuries befell Seumalo in 2020 and 2021; he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury in September 2020 but was reactivated in November. He played injured after his reactivation and struggled. In 2021, he suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot and missed all but three games.

The injuries concern me, as does the contract he could warrant, but there are aspects of adding Seumalo that are worth investigating. For starters, he can play either guard position. He’s played 2,866 total snaps at left guard and 1,413 at right guard; his most recent experience came on the right side. In 2017, he operated as the Eagles' backup center behind Jason Kelce.

Seumalo is a technically sound interior offensive lineman who is light on his feet and also displays solid overall power. He fits in well with the Eagles who have an uber-athletic offensive line, and that would also work with what Bobby Johnson is cultivating in New York. He can get grabby with his hands, and playing alongside Kelce certainly helps, which is something that must be considered.

I’m personally out on Seumalo as an investment for the Giants. He’s a good football player, but he’s not getting any younger and has foot issues dating back to his time at Oregon State. I would much rather add someone cheaper or draft another young interior offensive lineman. Glowinski struggled in his first year donning blue, but his contract is difficult to get away from in 2022, and he’s not a terrible starter.

The Giants also have young players in-house who deserve a true shot at starting in 2023. A training camp battle between Bredeson and Ezeudu will occur, and the cream shall rise to the top. Seumalo has taken snaps at center, but I can’t speak to his willingness or effectiveness playing that position, which is my preferred addition for the interior offensive line.

According to Spotrac.com, the market value for Seumalo is set at $11.2-million average annual value - that’s $4.4-million less than Brandon Scherff, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason. That’s out of the Giants’ price range with all of the concerning variables that surround the talented interior offensive linemen.

Seumalo is coming off his best season by far, and the Giants have other issues to address all through the roster. New York has cap space, and Seumalo would be an upgrade to the offensive line, but it would be a risky addition.