EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – "You can't replace an Andrew Thomas."

Brian Daboll made that statement early in his news conference on Wednesday about the Giants' most talented and important offensive lineman. But for the second consecutive year, the Giants must do exactly that.

Daboll announced that Thomas - the Giants' five-year left tackle, three-time captain, and 2022 second-team All-Pro – will miss the remainder of the 2024 season because of a Lisfranc injury he suffered Sunday night. He was hurt in the fourth quarter of the team's 17-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Though he finished the game, Thomas was clearly in pain. He underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve, leaving the Giants a roster spot to fill.

Daboll will not decide on Thomas' replacement for the Giants' home game Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles until they conclude their three days of practice on Friday. The Eagles will also be without their left tackle after Jordan Mailata hurt his hamstring in their victory against Cleveland. Daboll said Josh Ezeudu would line up at left tackle and Jermaine Eluemunor would remain at right tackle on Wednesday. Evan Neal, who has yet to play a snap this season, will work primarily at right tackle, though it's unclear if he will get first-team reps.

"You don't make any excuses," Daboll said. "Injuries happen and that's why everybody's on this team. We talked about that two weeks ago when (Darius) Slayton had a very productive game against Seattle (when Malik Nabers was sidelined). Or Azeez (Ojulari) did some nice things for Kayvon (Thibodeaux). Everyone's on this team for a reason. They're all working to improve. They're not here just to hold the space. They're working to improve. So, when they get their opportunity, they go out there and they do as good of a job as they can do and be themselves and trust their fundamentals, their techniques. That's why they work so hard and are involved in the meetings and get the reps, because you have to develop those guys that are backups throughout the season. Because inevitably, you'll have some type of injury, regardless of the spot it is."

Last season, Thomas sustained a hamstring injury in the season opener and missed the next seven games. The Giants were 2-5 in those games and averaged 13.6 points. After a 31-point outburst in a victory against Arizona in their first game without Thomas, the Giants averaged 10.7 points in the next six games. They gave up 34 sacks while Thomas was sidelined. The Giants have allowed just 14 sacks in six games this season.

Ezeudu, now a third-year pro, started the first five of games for Thomas before he sustained a season-ending toe injury. Justin Pugh started twice at left tackle before Thomas returned. Eluemunor has made seven of his 51 career starts at left tackle, including two last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Eluemunor has played right tackle exclusively this season.

But as Daboll said…

"You can't replace an Andrew Thomas. I feel terrible for him. I was able to text with him today. He had his surgery this morning, everything was successful. He's a leader, he's a captain, he's great in the locker room, he's a very good football player. So, that's what the development of players is all about. We've had six weeks here in the regular season where Evan has taken, I'd say, the majority of right tackle snaps (on the scout team) in case something happened to Jermaine. Ezeudu has taken left tackle snaps. But then, once this happens, you have discussions about how you want to approach it. We'll do a few things here this week and then ultimately after Friday's practice, we'll make our decision on how we're going to go with that."

The Giants have enjoyed rare – for them – continuity on the offensive line this season. Each of the five starters have played all 419 offensive snaps. The Giants are one of just six teams to start the same five linemen in every game. The others are Jacksonville, Buffalo, Green Bay, San Francisco and Minnesota. Aside from Thomas and Eluemunor, the Giants' starters are center John Michael Schmitz and guards Jon Runyan, Jr. and Greg Van Roten.

"I think it's next guy up and that group's played well this year," quarterback Daniel Jones said. "I think obviously it's a tough blow to lose Andrew. He's a tremendous player, a tremendous leader for us. But I'm confident guys will step up and I think more than anything, it's about that group playing well together as a unit, communicating, getting on the same page, and helping each other. And so far, they've done a really good job with that."

Daboll was asked about possibly moving Eluemunor to the left side and plugging Ezeudu or Neal in at right tackle. But that would necessitate changing two positions and inserting Ezeudu in at left tackle would be one.

"We've talked about that," Daboll said. "Jermaine will start out today at the right side. We'll put Ezeudu in here at the left. Then we'll rotate guys around throughout the week. However it goes, we'll give the majority of reps to however it sorts out early in practice, on Thursday, and then ultimately on Friday."

"We'll just do what we think is best. I think it's always easy just to replace one person, but you want to make sure you're doing what's right for the team because the line, they've been doing a nice job. The five of those guys that have played. I know they didn't get a lot of snaps together leading up to the games, but they've really done a nice job of settling in and communicating. That'll be a big missing part with Andrew, but the next person has to step up."

The first player to do so in practice was Ezeudu, who believes he is better equipped to handle the job than he was last season, saying he is "stronger, more confident, and more technical, too. … I'm very ready, even though I don't like how it's coming, because A.T. (is injured). He did teach me a lot in terms of tackle, but I'm very ready for the opportunity if it comes."

Eluemunor moved to left tackle when asked in 2018 with Buffalo, 2020 with New England and last year with the Raiders. He's willing to do so again, if necessary, but doesn't think he will need to.

"If I have to, I'll do it," he said. "But I believe in EZ (Ezeudu), and I like playing right tackle. But I think that we have the players here in order to help soften the burden. And Dabs is able to adjust some things to make it easier for certain guys in there and get him going."

Neal played in just seven games last season because of an ankle injury that eventually required surgery and began training camp on the physically unable to perform list. He is now fully healthy but joins backup quarterback Drew Lock as the only players on the roster who have yet to step on the field this season.

"It's definitely my first time experiencing this," Neal said. "But I try to learn from any situation that I'm in, whether it be a positive one or a negative one. I look at the situation I'm in, and obviously it's not ideal for me, being that I do want to play, but it's what I'm asked to do right now and I'm going to embrace this role. I'm going to go out there and practice and get better every day. Push my teammates and continue to be who I am and work hard."

Left tackle Jon Runyan, Jr. lined up next to Thomas for each one of those 419 plays. Like the rest of his linemates, he is saddened to see his teammate sidelined but determined to forge ahead.

"It's tough," Runyan said. "Great player, great person. He's a lot of our offense. He's been a vital part about what's been going on around here and (we're) going to miss him. He's a guy you can't really replace. Hate to see him go but the season is not stopping. It's next man up and I got a lot of confidence in whoever is going to be out there to go execute and do the job."