Will Jack Anderson find himself on the outside looking in?

It’s that time of year again: with 90 men on the New York Giants roster, we go through them one by one and help you get to know who’s competing for a spot on the 2023 team. As head coch Brian Daboll said, there are only so many roster spots, and nearly half of these players will not make it to the team’s Week 1 roster. Still, many of the players are trying to gain practice squad slots or find their way onto other rosters.

As the then-Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville put it, the NFL stands for “Not For Long.” Players who were once believed to be mainstays could end up losing their position permanently. There are always feel-good stories, players who come out of nowhere to make a huge impact on their teams, but there are seemingly many more who fade into oblivion.

We go in alphabetical order by last name and assess each player’s past and likelihood to make the team. Although Ed Valentine already gave you a way-too-early assessment of the 53-man roster for Week 1, there will undoubtedly be some shifts in opinion and projection as spring turns to summer and training camp moves to preseason.

Without further ado, here is the first of the Giants' 90-man roster for 2023.

Jack Anderson, OG

Jack Anderson has bounced around the NFL since being drafted in 2021. He saw the most playing time of his young career in 2022 due to the Giants’ offensive line injuries. Did he acquit himself well enough to reprise his role in 2023? Let’s take a look.

By the numbers

Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 314
Age: 25 during 2023 season
Position: Guard
Experience: 2
Contract: One-year, $940,000 | 2023 cap hit: $940,000

Career to date

Anderson was a seventh-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills out of Texas Tech in 2021. He did not make the team and was signed to the practice squad. The Eagles claimed him to their active roster after Week 2, but Anderson hurt his hamstring and landed on injured reserve. He ended up playing the final two games of the season, starting one of them.

After injuries plagued the Giants’ offensive line in training camp last year, the team signed Anderson, who had been released by the Eagles in final cuts. Due to those injuries, Anderson was active for 12 games, starting two and seeing action in six. He played at both guard spots and saw brief action as a sixth offensive lineman.

In total, Anderson played 147 offensive snaps for the Giants in 2022 and another 50 on special teams. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed six pressures, including a sack and two quarterback hits. He posted a 47.9 overall PFF grade, including 55.2 as a run-blocker and 49.6 as a pass-blocker.

The Giants re-signed Anderson to a one-year deal as an exclusive-rights free agent in the offseason.

2023 outlook

Considering that the Giants kept Anderson around in 2022, that would give him some measure of a chance of making the roster in 2023. However, because he came in due to injuries, the reality is that the team likely hopes they do not have to rely on him in 2023.

With the return of 2022 third-round pick Joshua Ezeudu, 2022 fifth-round pick Marcus McKethan and Shane Lemieux from injury and the second-round selection of center John Michael Schmitz allowing Ben Bredeson to remain at guard, Anderson may find himself on the outside looking in. Between those four players and starting right guard Mark Glowinski, the guard spot is pretty well stocked for the Giants.

It’s more likely than not that Anderson is looking to make another team’s final roster. His experience at guard last season might give him an opportunity with a good camp and some summer injuries. If not, the Giants may try to sign him to their practice squad as insurance, although they do have other competing options (McKethan, Wyatt Davis).