New York Giants’ OL update: A surprising competition at right guard?

Is there an unexpected position battle brewing on the New York Giants’ offensive line?

We have been talking about center and left guard as positions that are not yet settled, but could right guard also be on that list?

For the past two days at practice, Ben Bredeson has worked with the first team in that spot while incumbent starter Mark Glowinski has worked with the second group.

Glowinski started all 16 games in which he played for the Giants at right guard last season. Bredeson started eight games at left guard. Glowinski, 31, is in the second year of a three-year, $18.3 million contract.

It might be much ado about nothing ... but, then again, could Bredeson’s right guard reps be something?

“The combination, the depth chart and all that stuff, I’m sure everyone’s looking at that,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said Thursday before practice. “We have a plan, so we’re working through all those spots, not just at the O-line, receiver, I mean, there’s a lot of groups that we’re working through and how to put people in different spots. That’s just part of the constant evaluation process for us.”

A competition at right guard would be a surprise. Glowinski is entering his ninth season and has been a full-time starter with the Indianapolis Colts and Giants since 2019.

About center and left guard

Bredeson was considered when training camp opened to be in competition with rookie second-round pick John Michael Schmitz at center and 2022 third-round pick Joshua Ezeudu at left guard. Bredeson and Ezeudu split time at left guard last season until Ezeudu was lost to a season-ending injury.

The center competition might be over, though the Giants certainly will be unlikely to admit it. Schmitz has taken first-team reps for the last four practices, a pretty good indication that the Giants plan to have the rookie handle that job.

Ezeudu has taken first-team reps at left guard for the past two practices, but that may not yet indicate the Giants preferring Ezeudu to Bredeson.

How will the line eventually shake out?

“I don’t know if you want to box yourself in at this point in training camp or a week in,” Kafka said. “I think we just want to go through our evaluation process and let it declare itself.”

Bredeson said earlier in the week that it has “always been a goal of mine to be able to be versatile and play multiple positions.”

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