Former Ravens starter is already on thin ice with new team

The Baltimore Ravens went through a near-complete makeover this offseason. They made some huge changes to kickstart a new era, headlined by the firing of John Harbaugh and hiring of Jesse Minter. As a result, the roster looks different, too.

Baltimore had a big free agent class, and it’s not shocking that many of those players followed John Harbaugh. It was very predictable. From trusted contributors to even a polarizing starter, there was a packed bus of former Ravens headed to the Big Apple. Among those was Daniel Faalele.

Faalele likely shouldn’t have even started last year. However, as he lands with the Giants, he stares down an opportunity to stay on Harbaugh’s good side. Through OTAs, though, it’s clear he’s going to have to fight for his football life. He inked a one-year deal worth just $1.4 million, and now, he’s on the second-team offensive line.

Former Baltimore Ravens starter struggling to catch on with new team

If you were to tell any Ravens fan that Daniel Faalele is on thin ice with the Giants, they wouldn’t be shocked at all. He endured significant struggles in 2025, which were endless. From Week 1 to Week 18, it seemed like every snap, he was being targeted by opposing defensive lines. He wasn’t anywhere close to being starting-caliber.

Thankfully for Faalele, as he was in need of a fresh start, so too was his head coach, John Harbaugh. And once Harbaugh signed a contract to join the Giants, everyone sat and waited for them to sign Faalele. It certainly took a while, but eventually, the most obvious signing of the offseason was made.

Now, while that’s all great for Faalele, he’s quickly learned that he won’t see the same action that he saw with the Ravens. Jon Runyan Jr. is expected to start at left guard and at right guard, it appears that the Giants will slot in one of their 2026 first-round draft picks, Francis Mauigoa. There’s simply no spot for Faalele to start, and things could even get tricky for him in the backup competition.

The Giants made a flurry of moves to try to shore up their guard spot in free agency. After re-signing Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu, along with adding newcomer Lucas Patrick, it once looked like Harbaugh was admitting his mistake with Faalele. And while the reunion eventually came to fruition, the 26-year-old has his work cut out for him. Yes, he’s getting backup reps right now, but when Ezeudu and Patrick come back from injury, it might get heated.

There’s still a long way to go this offseason, but Faalele obviously doesn’t have much security in New York. It seems he’s in a dogfight for backup duties. In addition, his one-year contract only guarantees him $687,500. If he slips up, there’s not much of a reason to keep around. The ice is already running thin.

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