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NY Giants’ $21.5M bet has no room for a miss
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- NY Giants’ $21.5M bet has no room for a miss
Jon Runyan Jr. blocks for the Giants in Denver. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The NY Giants extended Jon Runyan Jr. through 2028 before Week 1, and the reported terms make the move much more than a quiet vote of confidence.
Multiple reports have the new deal at two years and $22 million, with $21.5 million guaranteed. The team has not publicly put those numbers on the board, but the reported guarantee tells you how much faith it has in its left guard.
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Runyan has started 29 games at left guard across his first two Giants seasons. He also helped open the way for a 2025 rushing attack that finished fourth in first downs, fifth in rushing yards, and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns.
Jon Runyan Jr. reacts after a hit on Jaxson Dart. Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The Giants bought continuity before Week 1
I understand the instinct. Good offensive linemen disappear from the market quickly, and the Giants did not want to enter another offseason needing to replace a starter on the interior.
The risk is right there with the price. A near-fully guaranteed extension means the team is not paying for a nice story about continuity. It is paying for dependable play when the offense needs to protect Jaxson Dart and establish the run.
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Jon Runyan has a Giants contract to live up to
The deal also puts an obvious spotlight on every bad series up front. That comes with the territory when the money says a player is part of the foundation.
Runyan can quiet all of it by doing the boring job well. If the Giants run the ball and keep the middle clean, nobody will care that the extension arrived so close to the opener.
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