Kevin Zeitler, Mike Remmers hope to mesh quickly on right side of Giants' offensive line

This offseason, the Giants added a right guard.

This offseason, the Giants added a right tackle.

This training camp, they are trying to turn the two of them — Kevin Zeitler and Mike Remmers, respectively — into a single entity.

It’s the NFL’s version of an arranged marriage, bringing two strangers together and telling them: “This is your new partner, figure it out.” Only in this particular case, both have been through the process a number of times and have a good idea of what to expect. It makes it a little easier since there is a mutual respect that comes from each of them having played for so long. But the chemistry, the coordination, the relationship that must be created for them to be successful still is a mysterious recipe that no one can say for sure will work  .  .  .  until it does or it doesn’t.

“It’s just something that will continue to grow over time, but we’re taking advantage of every snap and every rep we’re getting,” Remmers told Newsday. “It’s all going in the memory bank and we’re storing it up for the season.”

Zeitler paused during a conversation about the tackles he’s played next to, started tapping his fingers to tally them, and came up with eight. Remmers will make nine. This is Zeitler’s eighth NFL season.

“Some guys have one their whole career,” he practically sighed. “That’s unbelievable.”

Professional monogamy among offensive linemen is rare.

“We’ve both played football and we each have different thoughts on how things get done,” Zeitler said of Remmers. “Knowing how we think, how quickly we see things, how quickly we react, it’s just being around each other and getting the reps. The longer we do that, the more reps we get, the better.”

It took about half a season last year for the new left side of the Giants’ offensive line — veteran Nate Solder and rookie Will Hernandez — to click together. And they played just about every snap in practices and games side-by-side. The hope is that this new right side will be able to fuse quicker.

“I think it’s a solid, professional approach,” Pat Shurmur said. “These guys are pros. They’ve done it, and they’ve played winning football. They’re accomplished guys.”

Because Remmers signed with the Giants late in the offseason and still was recovering from back surgery in the spring, this week actually was the first opportunity the two men had to play side-by-side. In OTAs and minicamp, Zeitler would run his reps next to Chad Wheeler, then come off the field and talk to Remmers about what he’d just done and why. Remmers would tell Zeitler what he just saw and how he would have handled it. It was a study in the abstract. Now it’s concrete.

This past Thursday was their first time lined up together.

“It’s been great finally getting these first few days to work with him,” Zeitler said.

So the on-field introductions have been made. Now the urgency begins. The Giants’ regular season starts in about five and a half weeks. There will be four preseason games and numerous practices and walkthroughs before then. Each time they step on the field together is another step closer to each other, closer to becoming one unit made of two parts working in concert.

“I’m fully confident that we’re going to mesh great,” Remmers said.

But no one can say for sure when that magical moment of cohesion will take place.

“I don't know,” Remmers said. “It kind of depends.”

“Overall I think it’s going to be quick,” Zeitler said, “but we have to put the work in.”

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.