Among the many positional battles that will occur once training camp begins, Left Guard will garner the most attention through out camp.
The Candidates:
The assumption is that rookie John Michael-Schimtz will be the starting center along with Mark Glowinski at Right Guard, Andrew Thomas at Left Tackle and Evan Neal at Right Tackle. That leaves a big question mark at Left Guard. The candidates are Ben Bredeson and Joshua Ezeudu as the top two combatants along with the likes of Marcus McKethan, Wyatt Davis, Shane Lemieux and Jack Anderson.
Ben Bredeson
Bredeson seems to have the edge currently, but the Giants drafted Ezeudu in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft for a reason. Ezeudu played in 290 snaps and despite showcasing himself in a small sample; he finished with three sacks allowed, three penalties committed and a PFF rating of 46.0. As a rookie, Ezeudu displayed more promise as a run blocker than a pass protector. Bredeson played in 542 snaps and committed only 3 penalties, while allowing no sacks for a PFF rating of 56.7.
Available Scenario’s:
It’s very possible that Head Coach Brian Daboll will utilize both Bredeson and Ezeudu in some sort of a platoon role at the start of the season if a clear winner isn’t determined by the end of the pre-season. On paper, the offensive line seems to be more talented and athletic than in previous seasons and if the Giants can avoid the injury bug on the offensive line, they should be in good shape.
Regardless, the battle at the left guard position should be fun to watch and hopefully both players can improve in 2023.