Former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Jon Runyan signed with the New York Giants this offseason on a three-year deal worth $30 million and $17 million of it guaranteed. Runyan was one of the top guards on the free agent market this offseason and many teams were interested in him.
On Tuesday night, the former Packers guard was mentioned in the third episode of Hard Knocks. It’s an offseason edition that features the New York Giants. New York needed a lot of help on the offensive line. They gave up the most sacks in the NFL last season.
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll met in the third episode and talked about what they needed the most. They both felt like addressing the offensive line was the most important thing.
![Former Green Bay Packers Jon Runyan Almost Signed With This Team 1 Green Bay PackersJon Runyan](https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USATSI_21612760_168400517_lowres-900x600.jpg)
Other than Runyan Jr., the New York Giants were also after Robert Hunt (Miami Dolphins) and Jermaine Eluemunor (Las Vegas Raiders). The Giants wanted to sign all three offensive linemen, but they were only able to afford two of them. The other one that New York signed was Elemunor.
Former Green Bay Packers Offensive Lineman Jon Runyan Almost Signed With the New York Jets
![Former Green Bay Packers Jon Runyan Almost Signed With This Team 2 Green Bay PackersJon Runyan](https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USATSI_22203818_168400517_lowres-2-900x600.jpg)
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was well aware that the New York Jets also needed help on the offensive line. Before Runyan signed with the Giants, the Jets had an offer for him at $9 million a season with $17 million guaranteed.
Schoen decided to match the guaranteed money and also give him $10 million per season. It was enough to get the deal done. One of the reasons why Jon Runyan wanted to go to the New York Jets was because Runyan played with quarterback Aaron Rodgers before on the Green Bay Packers.
The Jets did not sign any of the three players that the Giants were after. Robert Hunt went to the Carolina Panthers in the offseason. The New York Jets signed Tyron Smith and also drafted Olu Fashanu from Penn State in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
![Former Green Bay Packers Jon Runyan Almost Signed With This Team 3 Green Bay PackersJon Runyan](https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USATSI_21524838_168400517_lowres-549x600.jpg)
The Packers will also have to replace Runyan on the offensive line this season. It was no surprise that he wanted to reunite with his former teammate Aaron Rodgers this year. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb followed Rodgers to the Jets last season and it would have been interesting if Jon Runyan was in a Jets uniform rather than a Giants uniform.