Former Lions backup tackle joins revamped Giants offensive line
The Giants announced Thursday evening that former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Matt Nelson had agreed to terms pending a physical.
The Giants reportedly hosted Nelson for a free agent visit on Thursday.
Nelson, 28, played in 43 games with 14 starts for the Lions over the past four seasons. He has played 910 of his 1,071 career offensive snaps at right tackle and just snaps at left tackle. The rest of his snaps came while playing a jumbo tight end or fullback role.
Nelson played in three games with two starts last season before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury that required surgery.
When Nelson played regularly in 2021 (11 starts, 675 snaps), he earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 50.8 with a pass-blocking grade of only 31.3. He allowed three sacks and 41 total pressures, compiling a poor 94.4 pass-blocking efficiency score.
The Giants recently signed veteran linemen Austin Schlottman (reportedly for two years, $2.8M with $500K guaranteed) and Aaron Stinnie (one year, $1.3M with $100K guaranteed) to provide depth.
Prior to those moves, they had signed starting-caliber linemen Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor as they revamp a unit that surrendered a league-worst 85 sacks in 2023. That was 20 more sacks than the 31st-place Washington Commanders, who allowed 65.
The Giants have lost starting guard Ben Bredeson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and backup tackle Matt Peart to the Denver Broncos in free agency. Justin Pugh and Tyre Phillips remain unsigned.
Nelson was a collegiate defensive end who converted to the offensive line.