The New York Giants are giving 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal one last chance to salvage his underwhelming tenure with the club.
The New York Post reported that Neal will move from his customary right-tackle position to guard and will compete for a starting role on New York’s roster during training camp.
The Giants declined the fifth-year option for the 6-7, 350-pound Neal, who was chosen seventh overall in his draft year. Neal has started 27 games over his NFL career at right tackle and took all 456 snaps last season at that position, according to Pro Football Focus.
But with stalwart left tackle Andrew Thomas recovering from last year’s season-ending foot injury, and 2024 offseason free agent signing Jermaine Eluemunor likely to occupy the right-tackle spot, Neal is the odd man out, which is what is necessitating the position shift.
Beset by injuries
Injury woes have plagued Neal, since he has missed at least four games in each of his first three NFL seasons. He lost four games to an MCL sprain in 2022 then a devastating ankle injury cost him the final eight games of 2023.
He then missed New York’s first seven games in 2024 while recovering from ankle surgery.
When Neal did play, he was serviceable, taking six penalties and allowing two sacks, five hits and 17 quarterback hurries. Neal only garnered a 61.2 overall grade in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. That grade ranked 73rd out of 140 tackles.
Neal did earn an 80.8 grade for run blocking, which was ninth according to PFF, and superior to Eluemunor’s 56.9 grade while blocking on run plays. But Eluemunor’s overall grade (63.2) was still superior than Neal’s, plus the Giants gave him a two-year, $14 million contract to lure him away from the Las Vegas Raiders.
No guarantees
Offensive linemen typically can move from position to position with little difficulty, but picking up guard — a position Neal hasn’t played in five years, since his freshman season at Alabama — may cause some difficulty.
Plus, Neal is not being given one of the guard spots, despite his lofty $7.8 million salary for 2025, since veterans Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten are on the roster.
Van Roten started all 17 games for the Giants at guard last season, earning a 63.4 grade by PFF, and Runyan (13 starts in 2024) is the fifth-highest player on the Giants roster after he signed a three-year, $30 million contract during the 2024 offseason.
Having too many experienced offensive linemen is a good problem to have, especially since the Giants’ options have been injury prone. Plus, Neal’s pass-blocking deficiencies and run-blocking ability lends to him playing guard, since he will have some help in pass sets but can assist on inside and outside zone plays.
So Neal is likely to end up on the Giants’ roster in 2025, even if he does not win one of the guard positions, as insurance in case of an injury. New York will not save any cap space if it cuts Neal after June 1, and he is unlikely to have much value to trade due to his struggles and lame-duck status as a pending free agent.
Giants Make Big Announcement on Evan Neal After Declining Option