Jermaine Eluemunor enjoyed a career resurgence in his two seasons with the Giants, who benefitted from his work at right tackle.
Eluemunor was a bargain, earning $14 million the past two years.
Eluemunor wanted to stay but also did not want to be a bargain any longer.
He wanted to get paid.
It all worked out, for the team and the player on the first day of NFL free agency, as the Giants on Monday secured Eluemunor with a three-year deal worth $39 million, with $26 million in guaranteed money.
The Giants went into this with three prominent players headed to free agency: Eluemnor, wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
As the day progressed, Robinson agreed to terms with the Titans and Flott did the same, reuniting with their former Giants head coach, Brian Daboll, the newly hired offensive coordinator in Nashville.
Daboll clearly had input on these additions with his new boss, Robert Saleh.
Going 0-for-3 with these players and seeing Eluemunor go elsewhere would have been a tough blow for the Giants.
Instead, they were able to make it work with a 31-year old who played at a high level the past two seasons.
He started 31 games and graded out as one of the top pass protectors among all right tackles.
Eluemunor started his career with the Ravens as a 2017 fifth-round pick, meaning new Giants head coach John Harbaugh was in on Eluemunor’s NFL initiation.
After two years in Baltimore, starting only three games, Eluemunor moved on to the Patriots and then the Raiders.
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It was in Las Vegas in 2022 where he gained traction as a full-time starting right tackle.
Now he is back for more with the Giants.
Born in London, Eluemunor picked up football growing up in Denville, N.J., and he hoped he would find a home with the Giants.
This contract gives him that stability.
The Giants are not done with their offensive line, though.
Harbaugh wants to add one and possibly two starting-calibre guards.
There is interest in Alijah Vera-Tucker, a talented but often-injured player in his time with the Jets.
There also could be something with Wyatt Teller, 31, who was selected to three Pro Bowls with the Browns.
Teller was a 2018 fifth-round pick of the Bills when Giants general manager Joe Schoen was the assistant general manager in Buffalo.
Harbaugh is certainly familiar with Teller, with the Ravens and Browns competing in the AFC North and facing each other twice a season.
Jon Runyan Jr. started 29 games the past two seasons at left guard but he is not assured of retaining that spot, as Harbaugh wants to add competition to the interior of the offensive line.
