Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and the current lead analyst for FOX’s NFL broadcasts, Troy Aikman, doesn’t think that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning saw the beginning of a decline in 2016, but that his struggles stemmed from a shaky offensive line.

While even Manning would likely admit that he needs to perform better, the offensive line didn’t give him much to work with. Aikman saw that and believes the Giants have some big holes to fill in the offseason.

“I don’t know if I saw a decline,” Aikman said. “I saw an offensive line that didn’t afford him a lot of protection and made things very difficult. There were times when Eli maybe felt he had to be more than he probably should have felt. Does Eli need to play better? Yes, and I think he would be the first to acknowledge that. But I think that team has some holes they need to fix. They have to address that offensive line.”

22-year-old left tackle Ereck Flowers hasn’t shown the fruits of a first-round draft pick yet and the Giants are considering a change in positions for him. Bobby Hart and Marshall Newhouse split time at right tackle but both had their problems throughout the season.

One of the Giants’ top priorities in the offseason will be to upgrade the offensive line, especially in the tackle positions. Investing in a veteran tackle may be their path in the offseason as Manning is 36 years old and only has a few seasons left, so keeping him upright is also a priority.

There is plenty of blame to go around on the offensive side of the ball but the line struggled for the majority of the season and the unit will be a point of emphasis when the Giants head into the offseason.