The Giants struggled to protect quarterback Daniel Jones in a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys in Week 1. And they won't have their top blocker again on Sunday when they visit the Cardinals, with left tackle Andrew Thomas set to sit out, per ESPN.
Thomas, who broke out with an All-Pro campaign in 2022, was considered a game-time decision coming into the weekend after injuring his hamstring against Dallas. Freshly paid with a long-term extension this offseason, the former first-round draft pick participated in some team drills Friday, per Jordan Raanan, but is being held out to avoid aggravation of the injury.
The Giants have a short week in between Sunday's game in Arizona and a Thursday night Week 3 matchup with the 49ers.
In the meantime, reserves Matt Peart and Joshua Ezeudu are set to help fill in at tackle. The former is a fourth-year veteran listed as the No. 2 left tackle on New York's depth chart, while the latter, a 2022 third-round pick, has experience at multiple positions. Ezeudu is slated to get the official start to open Sunday's matchup, per NorthJersey.com.
The Giants' offensive line was such a concern in the club's season-opening loss that Cowboys star Micah Parsons even defended Jones, New York's QB, because of how poorly he viewed the signal-caller's front.
"It's called protecting your guy -- something I thought the Giants should have done," Parsons said after Week 1. "I don't think Daniel Jones should have been in that game in the fourth quarter. I thought they should have protected him and pulled him out. ... (Their) season would be over without Daniel Jones."