Shaun O’Hara doesn’t know where Ereck Flowers should play, but he does believe he has the answer for what the embattled left tackle and the rest of the Giants’ offensive line needs.
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“I don’t get paid to make those decisions,” the former Giants and Rutgers standout said last week in Houston during an NFL Network media availability prior to Super Bowl LI. “But I do know this: Competition brings out the best in everybody. If it was me, I would find a way to make those guys compete.”
All things considered, the Giants had little internal competition on the offensive line from start to finish in 2016. The Giants brought a wave of veteran lineman into camp, but there were no serious preseason position battles, and all those signings were released at the end of the summer.
The coaching staff did not make a performance-based lineup change until the very end of the season, when Marshall Newhouse replaced Bobby Hart at right tackle. Even Flowers’ struggles were not enough to compel the team to turn to veteran tackle Will Beatty. Any other lineup changes during the season were dictated by injuries.
O’Hara said he feels that has to change, whether it be by adding players in the draft, through free agency, or both.
“I think there’s some really good young talent on that offensive line. I think you’ve got to have competition in there,” O’Hara said. “You can let guys be on scholarship. In this league, when you look around at what teams are doing, the competition they have at each and every position, I think that just makes you better as a team. That’s something they really haven’t had with that group.”
As for Flowers: If the Giants do move him to a new position, as general manager Jerry Reese said was a consideration, the logical landing spot would be right tackle, followed by a less-likely shift inside to guard. O’Hara cautioned moving players around on the line is not as simple as it sounds.
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“It’s not that easy,” O’Hara said. “I always tell people, ‘Try brushing your teeth with your left hand tomorrow when you wake up.’ It’s different. After a while, you may start to get used to it, but it’s still going to feel funny.”
The motivation for moving a player is also key, as is realizing that if one player moves, there is a new hole being opened in their old spot.
“What’s the reason for it?” O’Hara said. “If you’re moving a guy from left tackle to right tackle, and it’s because he has poor technique, what’s going to change on the right side? If he’s not using his hands, and his hands are outside, how is that going to change by moving over to the right?
“If it’s, ‘I’m moving him to the right side from the left side because he’s not athletic enough, doesn’t have good enough footwork,’ I may buy that. Maybe that’s an issue, or maybe he’s not strong enough, and we’ve got to move him to guard or something like that.
“It’s all about the reasons for why you’d want to move a guy, but also what’s the collateral effect. That’s great if you move one guy from left tackle to right tackle, but you’ve still got to put a left tackle in there. So who’s playing left?”
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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