New York Giants

Inactive Bromley Falling Out Of Favor With Giants?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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In the NFL the snap count doesn’t lie. If you’re falling out of favor with the coaching staff, your snap count will diminish. Defensive tackle Jay Bromley did not have a snap count against the Cleveland Browns because he was on the team’s inactive list. What’s next for Bromley?

In the 2014 NFL Draft, the New York Giants drafted wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. in the first round. The team followed that selection with center Weston Richburg in the second round, and both picks appeared solid. Currently, we know the history with Beckham, and Richburg has a chance to be a long term player with the team.

Nov 8, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Giants center Weston Richburg (70) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. New York Giants defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-18. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Falling Out of Nowhere

In the third round, the Giants reached, as they have done often. The team selected defensive tackle Jay Bromley from Syracuse University with the 74th pick.  According to NFL.com, Bromley was projected to be a 4th or 5th round draft pick, so going with the 10th pick of the third round seemed like a reach at the time.

Bromley was renting a movie with his girlfreind when the call from the Giants came. Even he thought the call would come on the draft’s third day, according to Newsday on May 10, 2014.

“Saturday was supposed to be the big day for him. He graduates from Syracuse, and he figured he’d be taken somewhere between the fourth and sixth rounds. Instead, the celebrations began a day early.”

It’s not like Bromley projected to a higher draft level either. His scouting report had many negatives attached to him. It said, “Small hands. Pad level fluctuates. Average eyes and diagnostic ability. Does not play with pop or power in his hands to shock or discard blockers. Moved by double teams. Bland pass rusher (inflated sack numbers). Has tweener traits. Tepid intensity level — could use more glass in his diet.”

Based on his play in the NFL, the scouting report seems pretty spot on.

The Giants passed on players like Travis Swanson, the Detroit Lions starting center. Swanson is graded by Pro Football Focus as the 11th best center in the league, while Richburg comes in at 26th.

Other notables were cornerback Phillip Gaines (Kansas City), wideout John Brown (Arizona) and guard Trai Turner (Carolina).

Falling Out Of The Rotation

Bromley was a healthy scratch on Sunday, per NJ.com. “The only mild surprise on the inactives list is defensive tackle Jay Bromley. The 2014 third-round pick has been the Giants’ top backup defensive tackle behind Damon Harrison and Johnathan Hankins all season. Bromley, who has 11 tackles and one sack, has played 22 percent of the defensive snaps this season,” according to Dan Duggan.

Bromley grades out at a 44.1 according to the evaluation website, Pro Football Focus. Clearly the value has not been there with this selection. After an early season illness, reserve Robert Thomas made it onto the active roster against the Browns. Thomas played 12 snaps on Sunday.

Along the defensive line, the Giants have a stout starting line-up, but are thin after that. Kerry Wynn and Owa Odighizuwa combined for nine snaps, while rookie Romeo Okwara has become the top reserve. Okwara, an undrafted free agent, received 24 defensive plays yesterday.

Also according to PFF, Jason Pierre-Paul has played 761 snaps, the most of any defensive lineman in the NFL. Olivier Vernon comes in second with 737 plays. Okwara has 151 snaps, and Odighizuwa has 122 plays.

The trust factor is not there for the back-up defensive linemen. The question becomes: can the starters handle this extreme workload without breaking down. No one know for certain, and Bromley may not be the solution either moving forward.

Will Bromley go the route of many before him like James Brewer, Brandon Mosley, Jayron Hosley and the infamous Adrien Robinson?

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