The Giants signed Geoff Schwartz last season with the idea that he’d provide a veteran anchor on an offensive line that faltered in 2013, but saw those plans go up in smoke when toe and ankle injuries kept Schwartz from playing in 14 games.
This season isn’t off to a much better start. Schwartz is battling an ankle injury that has made him an infrequent participant in practice and has made it difficult for a team that already lost left tackle Will Beatty to a torn pectoral to settle on a five-man group. Schwartz was expected to be the team’s right guard, but they’ve seen more of John Jerry in that spot and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo says that needs to change if Schwartz is going to be a starter.
“I need to see Geoff play,” McAdoo said, via the New York Daily News. “He’s coming off a major injury. He needs to get back on the field and needs to do it on a consistent basis. It is a tough question to answer.”
Schwartz’s experience should buy him some time, although coach Tom Coughlin says he’d like to see the starting group be settled “fast” so there’s definitely a clock on for the veteran to show he can handle the grind.