The New York Giants now have their market anchor. When the Cleveland Browns traded for Tytus Howard and immediately handed him a three-year, $63 million extension ($21 million per year with $43 million guaranteed), the NFL’s offensive line market sent New York a very clear message. Jermaine Eluemunor is about to get paid. The question is whether the Giants will be the ones writing that check.
They should. And here’s why they can’t afford not to.
Tytus Howard Just Set Jermaine Eluemunor’s Market
Howard signed a three-year, $63 million extension with $45 million in new money, averaging $21 million per year with $43 million guaranteed. That’s the market floor for a versatile, starting-caliber right tackle in this league right now.
Howard, 29, is a solid player, but the tape and metrics say Eluemunor had the better 2025 season. Howard posted a 77.1 PFF pass-blocking grade, ranking 17th among 89 eligible tackles, while finishing 79th in run-blocking. He didn’t allow a sack, but his overall PFF grade of 62.7 ranked just 58th at the position.
Eluemunor played a career-high 1,088 snaps in 2025, posted a career-best pass-blocking efficiency score of 98.0, and allowed just 19 pressures all season. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 76.7 ranked 20th at the position — nearly identical to Howard’s 77.1. Howard allowed 21 pressures. Eluemunor allowed 19. The profiles are remarkably similar, but Eluemunor’s efficiency numbers give him the edge.
If Howard commands $21M per year, Eluemunor will command a similar price tag. His deal could even cost more.
The Age Discount Argument Is Overstated
Eluemunor turns 32 this December, making him two years older than Howard at signing. That’s a legitimate consideration. But his age shouldn’t tank the evaluation of the player Eluemunor is on film, nor his importance to the Giants’ offensive success.
Since 2022, Eluemunor has never played fewer than 905 offensive snaps in a season. He is an iron man at a position that breaks bodies for a living. The Giants signed him to a two-year, $14 million deal before the 2024 season — an absolute steal in hindsight — and he rewarded that investment by playing through 1,088 snaps at the highest efficiency of his career.
The more relevant question isn’t whether Eluemunor is 31, it’s whether he’s declining. Every data point from 2025 says no, as he has only improved over the last two years.
A three-year deal at $21M AAV, mirroring Howard exactly, is a fair ask. An offer below $18M-19M per year risks losing him to a team with fewer cap constraints and far less to lose.
Jaxson Dart Changes the Calculus Completely
Re-signing Eluemunor isn’t just an offensive line decision. It is a franchise quarterback development decision.
Dart took over the starting role in Week 4 of his rookie season and finished with 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions in 12 starts. He also added 487 rushing yards and a franchise-record nine rushing touchdowns, leading all rookie quarterbacks in rushing yards, rushing TDs, and passer rating at 91.7. That’s a historic rookie performance from a 22-year-old who hasn’t scratched the surface of what he can become.
But here’s the critical detail that often gets lost in rookie QB discourse: Year 2 is when young quarterbacks either take a massive leap forward or get their confidence shattered, usually caused by a lack of talent and protection around them.
Re-signing Eluemunor provides Dart and the offensive line with valuable continuity. Plus, Eluemunor has graded out as one of the best pass-protecting right tackles in the NFL over the last couple of years. That protection on Dart’s right side is critical and should be maintained.
If the Giants lose Eluemunor, then they will have to start over at one of the most important positions on the offensive line, right as their franchise quarterback enters the single most important developmental season of his career.
The Harbaugh-Eluemunor Connection
The Giants have made it clear that they want to bring back Eluemunor. New head coach John Harbaugh said as much during his NFL Scouting Combine presser.
Harbaugh coached Eluemunor with the Ravens back in 2017. That connection is a legitimate retention advantage. The Athletic projects Eluemunor’s market value at two years and $42 million, or $21 million per year, precisely what the Howard deal just validated.
What Happens If They Let Him Walk?
If Eluemunor walks, the Giants are not left with many replacement options. 2025 fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow is their most likely replacement option, but he posted a 92.6 pass-blocking efficiency score with 26 pressures allowed in just 209 pass-blocking snaps. He still has plenty of developing to do before he can be fully trusted with Dart’s protection.
Utah’s Spencer Fano and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa are intriguing options at the top of the NFL Draft. But the Giants hold the No. 5 overall pick, where those prospects might be considered a reach.
Re-signing Eluemunor allows the Giants to focus their top pick on a different need and target one of the blue-chip Ohio State defenders at the top of the board.
The ripple effects of letting Eluemunor go extend far beyond right tackle. They reshape the entire draft board, expose Dart to an unfamiliar protection unit, and force the Giants to spend capital fixing a problem they don’t currently have.
The Giants Need to Re-Sign Jermaine Eluemunor
The Howard deal didn’t just set the right tackle market. It handed the Giants a blueprint. Three years, $63 million is the comparable deal, and Eluemunor is arguably the better player. The Giants should be prepared to meet and, if necessary, slightly exceed that number to get this done before free agency officially opens.
John Harbaugh is building something real in East Rutherford. Jaxson Dart is the centerpiece. But franchise quarterbacks don’t develop in chaos, and offensive lines don’t gel overnight. The continuity Eluemunor provides is worth every penny of that $21 million AAV.
Pay the man. Lock the right side of that line down. And let Dart cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jermaine Eluemunor’s projected contract value in 2026 free agency?
Based on the Tytus Howard comp — a three-year, $63 million deal at $21 million per year — Eluemunor’s market sits around $20-21 million annually. The Athletic has estimated his market at two years and $42 million, though a three-year deal is possible depending on how bidding develops in the open market.
How does Jermaine Eluemunor compare to Tytus Howard statistically?
The two are remarkably similar pass-blockers. Howard posted a 77.1 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025 (17th among tackles) while Eluemunor’s 76.7 ranked 20th. Eluemunor’s 98.0 pass-blocking efficiency score slightly edges Howard, and Eluemunor allowed two fewer pressures on the season despite playing more snaps at right tackle.
Why is re-signing Eluemunor so important for Jaxson Dart’s development?
Dart is entering Year 2 — the most critical developmental stretch for any young quarterback. Keeping Eluemunor preserves the protection scheme familiarity, communication systems, and line chemistry that Dart built his rookie season around. Replacing him forces a reset at the worst possible time for a 22-year-old signal-caller.
How much cap space do the Giants have to re-sign Eluemunor?
The Giants currently have under $2 million in total cap space, per Over The Cap. However, they can create well over $60M in cap space through cuts and restructures this offseason. GM Joe Schoen will have to do some cap gymnastics, but he will create space ahead of free agency. And, with over $128 million in projected 2027 cap space, the Giants have more than enough money to afford to extend Eluemunor on a multi-year contract at his market value.