EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Ereck Flowers experiment appears to be ending after he served three-plus years as a starter on the New York Giants' offensive line. The 2015 first-round pick is being benched in favor of Chad Wheeler at right tackle on Sunday against the Houston Texans.
Flowers had started the first two games this season at right tackle for the Giants after three seasons as their left tackle. They had tried to move him to the other side when they signed Nate Solder this offseason.
Wheeler is an undrafted free agent who was signed in 2017 out of USC. He started five games last season, including the season finale at left tackle when Flowers surprisingly deemed himself unable to play against the Washington Redskins. The Giants had their best running output of the season in the finale.
Wheeler and Flowers split snaps throughout the week at practice. The Giants informed them of their decision to start Wheeler on Saturday night, a source told ESPN.
It won't be an easy start for Wheeler, as the Giants will be facing the Texans with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.
Flowers, 24, was the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. He was a Week 1 starter as a rookie but had struggled since entering the league. The hope was that he could have more success this season on the other side. It didn't pan out that way in the first two weeks of the season. Flowers allowed seven pressures and a sack and committed two penalties alone in the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It didn't go much better in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. Flowers was part of frequent miscommunication on the right side of the line in that loss.