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Monday, February 11, 2013
 The Giants' O-line decisions
By Tim Kavanagh
Coming off a season in which their offensive line improved in both pass protection (19 sacks, down from 28 in 2011) and carving out running lanes (allowing Giants rushers to compile 1,862 yards, up from 1,427 in 2011), there are significant questions as the offseason rolls along.

The first decisions that are being made revolve around the starters on the left side of their line. Both LT Will Beatty and LG Kevin Boothe are impending free agents, and the Giants must decide whether they will re-sign them. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com believes that Beatty, in fact, is the Giants' top re-signing priority.

If Beatty isn't brought back, they'll need to find a replacement in free agency or the draft, as there doesn't seem to be a great option for doing so on the current roster. Bear in mind that this is a franchise that hasn't used a first-round pick on an O-lineman of any position since 1999 (G Luke Petitgout), and hasn't done so for an OT since 1988, when they actually used their first two selections on OTs (Eric Moore and Jumbo Elliott). Who knows, maybe the streak is broken this season.

But another trend may guide them in free agency: generally, this is not a club that pays top dollar for veteran free agents, so while there are some intriguing players at LT potentially available, it's unlikely that any of them would end up with the Giants. We'll know soon enough whether their internal valuations of Beatty match up with what folks outside the organization are saying.