Why Will Beatty Is the New York Giants' Most Overlooked 2015 Starter

It's difficult to locate a star—or even a quality starter—along the New York Giants offensive line, which allowed quarterback Eli Manning to be sacked a career-high 39 times in 2013 and averaged a nearly league-low 3.6 yards per rush attempt in 2014.

The struggle to protect the passer and the lack of a push on the ground have led to Iowa Hawkeyes star Brandon Scherff—a 6'5", 319-pound offensive line prospect who pushes the limits of humanity—becoming one of the most popular options among Giants fans who want the O-line to be addressed with the ninth overall pick in this year's draft.

However, even if the youth infusion continues in 2015, the only guy who's pretty much guaranteed not to lose his starting job in a shuffle is left tackle Will Beatty.

Since he was selected in the second round of the 2009 draft, Beatty hasn't been the most consistent blindside protector. The former UConn Huskies star had a world of trouble staying healthy early in his career. A broken foot held him out for eight games in 2010, and a detached retina forced him to the sideline after 10 games in 2011—the rest of the team went on a Super Bowl run.

The 2012 season was a turning point for Beatty, though.

After overcoming a sciatic-nerve issue in his lower back to stay on the field at left tackle and play well (Manning was sacked only 19 times, and the offense averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per rush attempt), Beatty was due a new contract. The Giants rolled the dice, hoping that Beatty's solid 2012 season was a sign of good things to come, and signed him to a five-year deal worth $38.75 million.

At this point, the only concern was Beatty's ability to stay healthy. There was some sticker shock when the details of his new contract were made public, but all signs pointed to his becoming a franchise left tackle.

Year	Games Played	Starts	Injury
2009	16	4	--
2010	8	2	Broken Foot
2011	10	10	Detached Retina
2012	16	15	Sciatica
2013	16	16	Broken Leg
2014	16	16	--

This, of course, was before his incredible collapse in 2013.

The Giants lost the first six games of that season and finished 7-9, as Manning suffered the worst statistical year of his professional career. Beatty was to blame for nearly a third of the sacks Manning incurred in 2013, and he was called for holding four times on top of that. Beatty's blocking yips led to Manning's lack of trust in his blindside protection, resulting in a career-high 27 interceptions.

Both Beatty and Manning saw their 2013 seasons end with leg injuries in a sloppy season finale versus the Washington Redskins.

Beatty's status as the Giants' most overlooked 2015 starter has its roots in that awful 2013 season. Before breaking his leg, Beatty blamed his poor performance on his new contract when speaking with Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

"

I know I came into this year trying to do way too much and trying to change who I was to fulfill the media hype. It’s like you got the contract, now eyes are on you, people are expecting more from you and you’re trying to live up to it. My first big contract, I’m like I want to earn this contract, I want to make sure they know that I’m not just a fluke and I’m going out there just not being me, not being the guy that got me to this contract.

"

The excuse was perplexing for most Giants fans, and the perceived lack of confidence combined with the injury led few to believe that Beatty would ever replicate his 2012 success.

In 2014, however, the left tackle made a quiet recovery.

Although the Giants posted a terrible 6-10 record, the offense experienced a bit of a resurgence under first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Beatty started the season strong by calling 2013 "an anomaly," per Connor Orr of NJ Advance Media. He lived up to it, too, starting all 16 games and showing no weakness in his leg. Manning hit the 30-touchdown mark, threw only 14 interceptions, set a career-high completion percentage (63.1), cracked 4,000 yards for the first time since 2011 and saw his sack total dip by 11.

The Giants were still dreadful running the ball last season, but Pro Football Focus gave Beatty a plus-6.1 grade as a run-blocker (h/t Nick Powell of NJ Advance Media). He was the only New York offensive lineman to earn a positive run-blocking grade for 2014.

Talking to Powell, Giants offensive line coach Pat Flaherty attributed Beatty's comeback to his consistent work ethic in practice:

"

With William, the biggest difference I see this year as compared to last year is he's out there every day practicing. With the injury he had last season [Beatty fractured his leg in the final game of the season], he's done a remarkable job throughout the offseason rehabbing with the trainers Ronnie Barnes and Byron Hanson in particular and his staff. He came to training camp and he was further ahead than what we anticipated and he hasn't lost a step. He's practiced football each and every day which has helped him perform on gameday

"

Yet the comeback is incomplete. Beatty still needs to win back the fans and justify his cap hit. With the team winning only six games last season, few fans took the time to appreciate Beatty's rebound. If the Giants flop again in 2015, they're not going to care much about the progress of a 30-year-old left tackle slated to rake in $8.05 million. Instead, they'll want wholesale changes—Beatty's contract will become a primary target.

So, while Beatty's impact as a starter is still being overlooked, he can regain the appreciation of fans with another strong season this fall. Wins are pivotal to his perception and future with the Giants, so a premium must be placed on keeping Manning upright. The passing game was New York's brightest spot last season, and Beatty's offensive line needs to afford its quarterback plenty of time to connect with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

There's nothing Beatty can do about New York's defensive woes, but he can lead by example when it comes to improving another weakness: the running game. With the offensive line fielding plenty of youth and facing potential position shifts, Beatty's veteran voice should be key to the unit's cohesive communication.

The biggest thing Beatty can do to improve his individual performance is to cut down on holding penalties. Last season, he was called for that specific infraction eight times, as noted by Pro-Football-Reference.com While they're preferable to sacks because Manning's not getting hit, holding calls kill drives just as effectively.

If Beatty comes through and the Giants win more games, he'll no longer be the team's most overlooked starter by the end of the 2015 season.

Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report.