Giants Offensive Line Development Chosen as Biggest Training Camp Storyline

The Giants have a lot of storylines ahead of the full team reporting to training camp, but perhaps none bigger or as important than this one.

Aug 21, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal (73) during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium. / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

There will be no shortage of big storylines for the New York Giants this summer when the team officially kicks off its 2024 training camp with its first practice on July 24. 

However, the team's offensive line is the biggest storyline that needs a successful resolution. This is a unit that has finished in the bottom third league-wide of Pro Football Focus’s pass-blocking efficiency ratings over the last six years, and it must improve.

General manager Joe Schoen has invested $49.38 million in resources in the unit, hoping it will improve. As such, my choice for the Giants’ biggest story for the OnSI NFL team publisher’s collaborative effort is the development of right tackle Evan Neal, the second of the team’s 2022 first-round draft picks, whose pro career so far has been injury-filled and lackluster.

Here is what I wrote:

“Can right tackle Evan Neal finally live up to his draft pedigree? Neal, the seventh pick in the 2022 draft, was supposed to be the Giants’ bookend at right tackle for years to come. 

“However, he’s struggled with both injuries and technique issues that have him hovering dangerously close to earning the ‘bust’ label. While the Giants did protect themselves by adding veteran Jermaine Eluemunor as the Plan B at right tackle, the team is hoping the issues that have plagued Neal when he has been out there on the field can be eradicated from his game.”

The Giants were likely hoping for Neal to take the kind of leap that left tackle and fellow first-round draft pick  Andrew Thomas took after his rookie season when he allowed 57 pressures, second most among all NFL tackles in 2020.

Thomas, who like Neal, has also dealt with lower body injuries, has since cleaned up his technique issues despite having had four different offensive line coaches since being drafted to become one of the best blindside protectors in the league.

Despite his struggles, Neal still has the backing of Giants general manager Joe Schoen, head coach Brian Daboll, and new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. They intend to start Neal at right tackle, assuming he gets a clean bill of health after having season-ending ankle surgery last year.

But it’s also clear that Neal, who, in two seasons, has allowed 81 pressures in pass protection, will only get so much of an opportunity to turn things around.  

The Giants added Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency, a guy who played for Bricillo while with the Raiders. Eluemunor is currently slotted to play left guard, but if Neal can’t cut it at right tackle for whatever reason, the coaches will move Eluemunor to right tackle and could turn to veteran interior offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie to start at left guard.

And what of Neal if he doesn’t hold onto the starting right tackle job? There are some who believe that if that happens, the Giants might shift him inside to left guard, a position in which he played 723 snaps during the 2019 season at Alabama, but that’s not a given.  

Hopefully, the Giants won’t have to cross that bridge, and Neal will finally develop into the NFL right tackle, which the Giants believe he can be.  

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