Joe Schoen and the Giants made their first significant signing of free agency Monday night when they agreed to terms with former Colts offensive lineman Mark Glowinski.

The deal is for three years worth up to $20 million with $11.4 million fully guaranteed, an individual with knowledge of the agreement confirmed to NorthJersey.com and USA TODAY Network as first reported by ESPN.

Here are three things to know about the 29-year-old Glowinski, a former fourth-round pick of the Seahawks:

The resume

Glowinski has been a starter up front and a key cog for the Colts over the last three years. Indianapolis is one of the best units in the league, especially on the ground in paving the way for star running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts claimed the 6-foot-4, 311-pounder off waivers in 2017, and he’s given them his money’s worth since, earning an extension two years later.

Making the grade

Glowinski’s 70.1 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 21 out of 80 eligible guards last season, a far cry from the marks the Giants have been earning on their line for years now. Those grades are not the be-all, end-all, of course, but in some regard, it says something about the respect Glowinski has earned league-wide on a line that has been lauded from the moment Quenton Nelson arrived to play left guard in 2018.

Glowinski is a more accomplished run blocker than he is in pass protection, but no slouch in the latter category, either.

The fit

Expect Glowinski to slide in at right guard, and he’s immediately an upgrade after the failed experiment of moving Will Hernandez there last season. The Giants could never get anything going on the right side, and with Andrew Thomas at left tackle and Glowinski at right guard, this is a clear upgrade. This should allow Schoen to focus on the other three spots in free agency and in the NFL Draft.

The Giants don’t really have much of a choice other than to operate in a “very calculated” way this year, given the financial and salary cap mess Schoen has been forced to clean up as the cost of doing business within an organization that again has hit the reset button.

Schoen has been focused on straightening out the roster the best he could, aiming to clear the estimated goal of $40 million he wants available to continue the rebuild.

They made a strong move to bring Glowinski along, and given his production in Indianapolis, this is potentially a value signing as well.

Art Stapleton is the Giants beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Giants analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and sign up for our NFC East newsletter.  

 

Twitter: @art_stapleton