Joe Judge is zeroing in on a key addition to his coaching staff, as he has offered the offensive line job to Rob Sale, someone Judge worked with during their time together under Nick Saban at Alabama, and a hiring is expected.
Sale, 41, was most recently the offensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette. This will be the first NFL experience for Sale.
The position of offensive line coach was a turbulent one for Judge in his first year as a head coach at any level. He hired Marc Colombo, who had worked with and came highly recommended by Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett when the two were with the Cowboys. It turned out to be a bad fit.
Judge, concerned about the instruction the young offensive linemen were receiving, started spending more time in practice watching and and at times working with the offensive line. He brought in Dave DeGuglielmo, a longtime NFL offensive line coach, as an offensive consultant. Colombo did not appreciate that, he had words with Judge at the Week 11 bye week and was fired. DeGuglielmo took over as offensive line coach for the remainder of the season but a deal could not be worked out for him to remain. DeGuglielmo last week was named the offensive line coach at Louisiana Tech.
Sale was the strength and conditioning coach and an offensive assistant at Alabama during Judge’s three years (2009-11) in Tuscaloosa. Sale previously held offensive line coach positions at Georgia and Arizona State.
This is an important hire for Judge. His offensive line improved last season but remains a work in progress. The starting left tackle, first-round pick Andrew Thomas, struggled early in his rookie year before finishing much stronger. Nick Gates did not miss a snap in his first experience playing center. Shane Lemieux, another rookie, supplanted Will Hernandez at left guard. A decision must be made with Kevin Zeitler, the right guard and most reliable player on the line. Zeitler, who turns 31 on March 8, is scheduled to count $14.5 million on the 2021 salary cap. Right tackle is in flux, with veteran Cam Fleming a free agent and Matt Peart — a developing player — coming off an up-and-down rookie year.
In another Giants coaching development, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert interviewed for the Vikings offensive coordinator job. Klink Kubiak on Monday was promoted by Mike Zimmer to fill that role, meaning Tolbert will return to Judge’s staff.