By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. — Of the many things the Giants did differently this offseason than in the past, the emphasis put on the offensive line was the biggest strategic change.

The Giants will have three new starters: Left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez and right guard Patrick Omameh. But they also are said goodbye to two multi-year starters — Weston Richburg and Justin Pugh — in the offseason after general manager Dave Gettleman chased Bobby Hart immediately.

So how big an upgrade was made? Is this an offensive line suited for head coach Pat Shurmur's ground-first style? Are the Giants just copying the best laid plans of other teams?

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Brian Baldinger, who spent part of his childhood growing up in Cherry Hill, played 143 games over 12 seasons in the NFL for the Cowboys, Colts and Eagles. He works for NFL Network as an analyst on NFL Total Access.

Baldinger was one of the guest instructors, along with Giants quarterback Davis Webb and Patriots safety Devin McCourty, this week at the Big Daddy Football Camp at New Hyde Park Memorial High School. He spoke with NJ Advance Media about the revamped Giants offensive line and what it means for Eli Manning.

The Giants only have one undecided position on the starting line, where Brett Jones and Jon Halapio are battling at center.

Here are his thoughts:

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1 year too late

The Giants went into the 2017 offseason knowing the offensive line needed major attention.

And then-general manager Jerry Reese opted to bargain hunt, adding late-round draft picks, undrafted free agents and D.J. Fluker off the scrap heap. Going into the season with former seventh-round draft pick Bobby Hart at right tackle, struggling Ereck Flowers at left tackle and a shortage of depth ultimately cost Reese his job.

Gettleman took the opposite approach and went aggressive.

"They had to address the situation," Baldinger said. "They didn't address it last year and it all went south. It all fell apart. If you don't fix your offensive line by August, forget your season. You can't fix it during the season. You have to address it during the offseason whether it's draft picks or free agency or trades. You have to address the depth."

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media f

Re-valuing the offensive line

Gettleman made a point leading up to the draft that many college offensive linemen enter the NFL unprepared because of the growing popularity of the no-huddle up-tempo college offense.

While it is vogue to praise offensive linemen, Baldinger agrees that what is done doesn't always match what is said and teams sometimes get caught devaluing the offensive line ... until they endure a season like the Giants.

Then the idea of getting rid of the ball before your shaky offensive line collapses doesn't seem so prudent.

“They think that way in college and so these guys aren’t ready to play," Gettleman said. "Will Hernandez happened to start every game so he is a little bit different. When the Giants were winning Super Bowls (in 2008, 2012), they were the tape measure in the league."

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What's the biggest challenge?

As the Giants' Super Bowl XLII-winning offensive line told NJ Advance Media, chemistry doesn't happen overnight on an offensive line. Most of the pieces that won a Super Bowl in February 2008 were put in place during the 2004 and 2005 offseasons and grew together.

There is no substitute for practice reps, so the Giants might not be able to get a quick fix with new parts in 2018.

“They still have to learn how to play with each other," Baldinger said. "They still have to solidify. But I think the three guys they brought in are three upgrades, however they work themselves in.”

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Challenge awaiting Ereck Flowers

Flowers' move from left tackle to right tackle is either no big deal or very complex, depending upon who you ask.

Baldinger falls in between on the spectrum, trending toward the complex.

“It’s big," Baldinger said. "I watched him coming out of (University of) Miami and he was a left tackle. I think he has been in a left-hand stance his whole life. It isn’t a guarantee.

"His Giants' future is really at right tackle. You can't complain about it (if you are him). Guys have made the switch, but it's all backwards: His right foot is back. His left hand is his post hand. But he has to become more of a technician, anyways."

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Flowers didn't show up for the first three voluntary practices of the offseason and nearly punched his ticket out of town, with Gettleman not hiding his frustrations.

But, after failing to trade Flowers during the NFL Draft and declining his fifth-year contract option for 2019, the Giants gave Flowers every first-team rep during media attended sessions of OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

Flowers seemed to be up for the challenge, including self-awareness as he answered tough questions about hurt feelings in his relationship with the Giants.

"He has to have more accountability," Baldinger said. "He has talent, but that doesn’t mean anything. He has been given a great opportunity at an important position. He can play there a long time if he becomes a good right tackle.”

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Is Nate Solder worth the money?

Left tackle Nate Solder's resume is strange for the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL (four years, $62 million).

On one hand, he was trusted to protect Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's blind side for six seasons, after playing right tackle as a rookie. On the other, he never has been named to a Pro Bowl.

“He’s been healthy, he’s been durable, he’s been consistent," Baldinger said. "I think he has benefited some from Brady’s ability to get rid of the ball, but he does have uncanny athletic ability. He could play tight end. He was a tight end in college. He has that kind of feet. If he gets beat, it’s not over."

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One play in particular comes to mind for Baldinger when talking about the 6-foot-8, 325-pound Solder's unique skill set for a left tackle. Solder has 95 starts in 98 career games since he was a first-round pick.

"I posted a picture last year of him getting beat by Jerry Hughes of Buffalo," Baldinger said, "and he did a complete spin to cut (Hughes), then he got up on his feet and locked him out. Uncanny ability.

"He is a better athlete out there. He’s got long arms. He’s probably not the most powerful tackle in the business, but he is going to be a real upgrade. He is a real student of the game. He is going to be reading coverages.”

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Comparing Eli Manning to 31 other starting QBs: Who would you rather have?

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Time to find out about Eli Manning

You can split Giants fans and personnel around the NFL into two camps: Those will believe Eli Manning's underachieving records over the last six years is the result of not having a playoff-caliber supporting cast and those who believe Manning is in decline.

Which is true?

"You are going to find out because he is going to have better protection than he has had," Baldinger said. "He's going to have a running game. He has a real NFL player back there (Saquon Barkley).

"Even signing (tight end) Rhett Ellison last year was a good signing. He's a good blocker. I think up front they are going to have better blocking and they will have better balance. A lot of things can change when you get a running game, including better play-action."

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Baldinger isn't totally absolving Manning of blame, however.

Always known more for his big-game presence and his deep balls than for his accuracy, Manning is facing as many critics as he has had since he threw a NFL-worst 27 interceptions in 2017. He bounced back in 2014.

“It’s all Eli right now," Baldinger said. "He’s got to play better in parts of the game. When he did have time last year, he didn’t throw the ball through a big tire very well. It’s on him right now. You’ll find out how much he has left.”

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Eagles blueprint

Shurmur spent 13 years over two stints as an Eagles assistant and was on the losing side of the NFC Championship Game just five months ago. Baldinger said the Eagles, who ranked No. 3 in the NFL in rushing yards in 2017, were the model of proof that offensive lines still win Super Bowls.

"The Eagles lost Jason Peters last year and Big V (Halapoulivati Vaatai) went in there and played a great left tackle," Baldringer said. "You have to address all of it. To see the Giants do what they did, I thought it was smart.

"When you look how the Eagles built that team, Nick Foles can go in there in Week 15 and play like he did in the postseason because he had a very good, if not the best, offensive line in front of him. They had a lot of three-tight end sets."

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Vikings blueprint

The Vikings overhauled their offensive line in 2017 similar to the way the Giants did in 2018. They signed a free-agent left tackle (Riley Reiff), a free-agent right tackle (Mike Remmers), drafted a rookie starter (Pat Elflein) and required a position change (Joe Berger from center to left guard).

It allowed Shurmur to work some of his wonders with third-string quarterback-turned-breakout star Case Keenum.

“Shurmur knows," Baldinger said. "He had good success with Case last year. I doubt Pat would be the head coach of the New York Giants today if they didn’t address their offensive line like they did last year, when they were much, much better up front.”

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15 bold predictions for 2018 Giants: Expectations for Manning, Beckham, Solder, Ogletree, etc.

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Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Teaching safety

Baldinger's message at the Big Daddy Football Camp, where he was joined by Giants quarterback Davis Webb, Patriots safety Devin McCourty and Bills assistant coach Jim Salgado, focused on player safety.

He spoke to NJ Advance Media while fixated on a drill that can be see across NFL and college practice fields, where a player tackles a giant padded donut.

"We are just trying to take the head out of the game now," Baldinger said. "We have to make the game safer. I’m all for it. But it starts at this level through high school, through college. We have to take the head out and lead with the shoulder. We have to change it. The stats are the stats."

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Ryan Dunleavy can be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy.