The New York Giants finally made positive progress along the offensive line in 2025, but a key injury at an already shaky spot could derail things this year. It’s why an assistant coach revealed “there’s been talk” about a skilled lineman making a surprise position switch up front.
Offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren said the talk has been “about potentially moving Marcus Mbow to center,” per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. He also reported “Bloomgren said there was one OTA when they gave Mbow some snaps, but ‘right now he’s more comfortable playing tackle and I’m pretty comfortable with what he’s doing out there.’”
Shifting a swing tackle from the edges of the line to playing over the ball represents a significant change for Mbow. The Giants even discussing the switch reveals a lot about what they think about starting center John Michael Schmitz.
The latter is dealing with a concussion, but Schmitz has been far from impressive when healthy. His struggles mean the Giants are smart to seek alternative solutions to anchor the O-line, and Mbow is an intriguing option.
Giants Still Working Out How to Use Marcus Mbow
The Giants have been working out how best to use Mbow since making him a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Their initial plans involved shifting the former Purdue standout inside to guard.
Other efforts to get Mbow involved included having him step in for injured All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas. The Giants have a pattern of thinking of a way to slot Mbow in and rearrange the pieces whenever there’s an issue up front.
Similar thinking is behind giving him snaps at center this offseason. It’s another attempt to find use for a versatile athlete who risks being a jack of all trades, but master of none.
GettyMbow struggled blocking on the edge as a rookie.
Mbow certainly hasn’t mastered locking down the edges of pass protection. Not when he allowed three sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 26 pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 23-year-old tallied many of those numbers across 319 snaps at tackle, 261 on the left and 58 on the right. Mbow played just three snaps at left guard, making tucking further inside to center a greater challenge.
Bloomgren may still need him to master the challenge, because the other centers on the depth chart are as unconvincing as Schmitz.
Center Problem Has No Obvious Solution
Schmitz hasn’t justified his status as a second-round draft pick, but the Giants still lack credible natural alternatives. Ex-practice squad player Bryan Hudson is unlikely to adequately fill the void, while veteran Lucas Patrick’s knee injury has only added to the problems at the position.
The Giants hope signing former Los Angeles Chargers’ starter Brenden Jaimes can offset those problems, but he hasn’t started a game since 2023. Jaimes remains a long-shot to adequately replace Schmitz, while guard Jake Kubas could slide over the ball.
None of the options inspire a strong degree of confidence, and nor will Schmitz once he’s back to 100 percent. It’s why the Giants should explore any opportunity to get better at a vital spot, including giving Mbow more chances.
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