A Pro Bowl guard is on the free-agent market after the Eagles released Evan Mathis on Thursday.
The Giants offensive line, as currently constituted, doesn't need a guard. Arguably their two best linemen, Geoff Schwartz and Justin Pugh, are running with the first team at organized team activities this spring.
Yet the availability of Mathis should expose just how the Giants feel about their current offensive line.
The Giants are trying to determine this spring whether their offensive tackles are sufficient without Will Beatty (out until at least mid-October with a torn pectoral muscle). First-round pick Ereck Flowers is being thrown into the fire at left tackle. Veteran journeyman Marshall Newhouse is manning the right tackle spot. The goal was to get through the spring and re-evaluate then, if necessary.
"We'll see what happens," coach Tom Coughlin said several weeks back about the need to add another lineman. "We'll see how we finish the spring here and so on and so forth."
Before the Giants even hold their line mandatory minicamp this offseason, they will be forced to show their hand. Mathis' availability will display just how comfortable they are with their current situation.
Do they seriously make a play for the proven guard and throw Pugh back at tackle? General manager Jerry Reese has always said this team is willing to look at everything and, right now, this could be their top option for this season. If they think that is the case, they will enter the mix.
An argument can easily be made that Pugh, in his third season, or Schwartz are the best healthy tackles the Giants have on the roster, even if their best positions may be guard. Pugh played right tackle his first two seasons in the NFL, and showed signs of being a quality player at that position. A hobbled Schwartz filled in admirably at right tackle for a game when he returned from a toe injury.
More on Mathis' release: What now for the Eagles?There will undoubtedly be a market for Mathis. Even at 33 years old, he's better than a lot of current penciled-in starters around the league. That's why he was unhappy with his contract in Philadelphia, even though he was scheduled to make north of $5 million this season.
The Giants aren't going to break the bank for Mathis. They're not going to guarantee big money and commit for several seasons to a linemen who isn't an ideal fit (at 6-5, 298 he's not their typical mauling guard).
But if they do anything more than make an exploratory inquiry ‐ which is the norm on almost all free agents ‐ it will be awfully telling. It says the Giants are not content with their first-team offensive tackles.
All offseason the Giants shied away from the "big name" guards. Even after losing Beatty, they never made a play for veteran Justin Blalock, a solid starter for years with the Falcons who was released for salary cap reasons. Blalock remains a free agent. They wanted Pugh at guard and stuck to the plan even with Beatty injured.
But the Giants did bring in veteran tackle Jake Long several weeks back. That alone said they were at least somewhat interested in upgrading that position. They don't seem to have closed the door on that either.
"He's a veteran, he's played a lot of football, and so we brought him in, gave him a physical to see where he was," Reese said last week. "We'll keep an eye on him."
A push for Mathis would speak loud and clear. Despite Reese's hope that the selection of Flowers would put an end to talk about upgrading a questionable line, it would prove that it's still a serious concern. Not just with large contingent of fans who remain skeptical, but with the opinions that matter within the walls of the Quest Diagnostics Training Center as well.
Jordan Raanan may be reached at jraanan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanRaanan. Find NJ.com Giants on Facebook.
Source: http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/06/what_evan_mathis_release_will_reveal_about_the_gia.html
