John Harbaugh settled the Giants ' center question for this week: Bryan Hudson will start, and John Michael Schmitz will remain in the backup role.
The coach's Monday explanation was straightforward. Hudson played well in each of the past two games, and that recent work earned him another start. The Giants aren't immediately returning the job to their 2023 second-round pick.
"We will for this week," Harbaugh said when asked whether Hudson would continue over Schmitz, in the team's published transcript . He added that Schmitz remains in the plans and could still play.
Archive photo from September 2023. September 21, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Keeping that distinction matters. Harbaugh didn't announce that Schmitz's Giants career is over, promise Hudson the rest of the season or rule out using both players. He identified the starter for the upcoming game and tied his choice to performance.
Earlier in the week, the question was whether Hudson had done enough to hold onto the job. Now there is an answer from the person making the lineup. The next step is seeing whether he can keep earning it rather than assuming this settles the position indefinitely.
The Giants are coming off a 27-27 tie in Washington that left them 3-1-1. Their next game is against New Orleans. Keeping the same center gives the offense a chance to build on recent work, but continuity isn't an excuse to leave mistakes uncorrected.
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Harbaugh acknowledged there are things Hudson can do better even while praising his last two games. That's a more useful explanation than pretending the offensive line has been flawless. The starter has earned another week, not immunity from review.
Schmitz still gives the Giants an experienced alternative. For a player who came in with a second-round investment and expectations of holding the position for years, having to wait for another chance is a significant change. Draft position won't take the next snap for him.
Hudson will get the first opportunity against the Saints. What Schmitz can control now is being ready if the Giants need a change, while Hudson has another game to make that change unnecessary.
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